Beyond a good acting performance, Glaiza de Castro believes in the responsibility to deliver an impactful story that could empower in real life. 

The Kapuso actress is a known advocate even and especially outside her award-winning show business career, and so her bold portrayal in Carl John Papa’s retelling of the Maguindanao massacre was also a crash course in the values she believes are crucial not only to being an actress, but to becoming human. 

“It gives me a deeper sense of purpose, na hindi lang bilang aktor pero as a person. Diba minsan iniisip mo ano ba silbi ko dito sa mundo? Hindi lang para ma-recognize yung skill mo as an actor, pero ang mensahe mo sa tao at kung ano yung iiwan mo sa tao,” explained Glaiza in an exclusive interview with GMA Regional TV News on the heels of the successful world premiere of 58th at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) in the Netherlands. 

Glaiza plays Reynafe Momay Castillo, the daughter of slain Mindanaoan photojournalist Reynaldo ‘Bebot’ Castillo who was part of the Mangudadatu convoy that was abducted and brutally murdered by an Andal Ampatuan Jr.-led party on November 23, 2009. 

The 58-person convoy, composed mainly of female family members of then-Buluan City Mayor Esmael ‘Toto’ Mangudadatu including 32 members of the press, was on its way to Shariff Aguak to file Mangudadatu’s gubernatorial candidacy papers. 

Reynafe’s account of the November 2009 tragedy lends itself to the animated dramatization of GMA Pictures and GMA Public Affairs in their attempt to recapture and immortalize what is considered the single deadliest attack on journalists in history. 

This, among others, is why the seasoned actress says there is an important mission to be fulfilled in doing Carl John Papa’s 58th

“After watching the film, ano ba yung gusto kong maramdaman at maisip nila? Will it connect to them emotionally? Intellectually? I am aware na yung massacre pinag-aaralan sa eskwelahan kasi part sya ng madilim na history ng Pilipinas, I think mas may malalim na sense of fulfillment pag nakakagawa ko ng mga bagay na nakaka-inspire at nakaka-educate– it is about being an instrument,” she said. 

Asked how she felt after 58th and what lesson she’s bringing with her, Glaiza said it’s about the relentless opposition to injustice. 

“Never stop questioning [injustice], and as an actor, giving voice to the victims of the Maguindanao massacre. Pagdating sa choices of roles parang gusto ko na lagi akong magbigay ng impactful an istorya, hindi lang performance,”  she explained. 

“Kasi kapag istorya yung naging main focus ko as an actor, fulfilling to be able to share something on real events, real life stories,” she added.

58th zeroes in on the uphill battle for judicial acknowledgment of Reynaldo Momay, stemming from a Supreme Court decision in 2019 that excluded the Tacurong City-based mediaman who at the time of murder was working as a photojournalist for the weekly paper 'Midland Review' from the official tally of victims. 

The SC ruling, to the dismay of Reynafe and other loved ones, was based on the fact that Momay's remains were never found save for a set of dentures claimed to be his by family members. 

In 2019, Andal Ampatuan Jr., Zaldy Ampatuan, and some co-perpetrators (a number were acquitted and are still at large) on 57 counts of murder. Reynaldo was victim No. 58.

In November 2025, a 15-page petition was submitted by the family members of the victims to the Court of Appeals, requesting for a resolution to a number of appeals including the judicial acknowledgment of Reynaldo “Bebot” Momay as one of the world-infamous crime’s victims.