Do we like Paolo Benjamin Guico?
Our score: 8 out of 10. He has spoken up for LGBTQ+ fans in his own words and found no harmful company, but the good-person record is thin on hard detail.
Paolo and his twin Miguel are the two frontmen of Ben&Ben, the Filipino folk-pop band that grew into a nine-piece. The two brothers also coached together on The Voice Kids Philippines, where they became the first double-chair coaches in the franchise's Asian run. He's the kind of musician who writes about hope for a living.
The harm check is where he shines. In February 2021 he posted that Filipinos should stop using “bakla” as an insult and never assume anyone's gender from their clothes. He told young people to be free to be themselves and said he would fight for LGBTQ+ friends and listeners.
The band backs it up with its work. Their 2022 Pride Month video for “Paninindigan Kita” starred two band members and real-life couple, Pat Lasaten and Agnes Reoma, and celebrated queer love. Reoma said she was excited for the queer kids who would see it.
On politics, the band put out “Kapangyarihan” in December 2020 with a statement condemning police brutality after the killing of Sonya and Frank Gregorio. They apologised to fans for staying quiet too long. That is a statement from the band as a whole rather than Paolo alone. I found nothing from him on climate or vaccines either way, and no harmful company in his recent work, which has been music with the band and Filipino actors like Gabbi Garcia and Khalil Ramos.
On the good-person side, the record is quiet in a good way. No court cases, fines or credible allegations against him turned up in what I could open. Bandmates describe sorting out disagreements by talking early, with Miguel often playing mediator. The band also visits fans going through hard times, which Miguel calls part of their duty.
The band had a big 2025, winning Album of the Year and Best Performance by a Group Recording Artist at the 38th Awit Awards. Paolo has also been open about the grind behind it, thanking his past self in a late 2023 post for not giving up. In 2026 they came back with “Duyan” and reimagined versions of “Lifetime” and “Autumn”.