Manila’s Ateneo High School, in the heart of the Philippines’ capital, was the birthplace of a band that would redefine Filipino pop, blending subversive wit, unexpected cultural references, and raw, unflinching emotion to win over both underground alternative fans and mainstream national audiences. The six students who founded the group—vocalist Chito Miranda, back-up singer and dancer Vinci Montaner, guitarists Darius Semana and Gab CheeKee, bassist Buwi Meneses, and drummer Dindin Moreno—first launched their project under the name Comic Relief, specializing in playful parodies of widely known international songs that let them hone their knack for reinterpreting familiar music through a uniquely Filipino lens. They soon rebranded as Parokya Ni Edgar, translating to the Parish of Edgar, a name that leaned into their chaotic, community-focused charm, which would eventually earn them the title of the Philippines’ reigning court jesters of pop-punk.