Olive Nieto

Olive Nieto is a performance maker and an assistant professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman.

Alongside playwright Layeta P. Bucoy, she co-created the MonoVlog—a portmanteau of “monologue” and “vlog.” This genre of online performance emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic, when enforced lockdowns pushed Filipinos to turn to the internet for free expression and creative release. The MonoVlog bundles the varied experiences of lockdown into a single digital format: a proof of life, a private conversation on social media, a health advisory, a tribute to frontliners, a death folder, a shout-out to advocacy groups, a community-led pandemic response, and a call for help. These elements become the substance of monologues shaped like vlogs, reflecting the urgency and intimacy of the moment.

Nieto’s work has earned critical recognition. In 2012, she received the Outstanding Female Featured Performance Award at the Philstage Gawad Buhay Awards for her role in the Philippine Educational Theater Association’s (PETA) production of *Bona*. Her career continues to bridge live performance and digital innovation, exploring how storytelling adapts to times of crisis and change.