Actress and social media personality Ashley Rivera was revealed as the 2026 calendar girl for White Castle Whisky during a launch event held on 19 December at Rampa Drag Club in Quezon City.

The liquor brand is known for its calendar tradition, widely regarded as the longest-running of its kind in the Philippines. Being chosen as a calendar girl has long been considered a career milestone, with past muses including Evangeline Pascual, Lorna Tolentino, Techie Agbayani, Carmi Martin, Maria Isabel Lopez, Cristina Gonzales, and Glydel Mercado.

While public interest in the calendar waned for a time, it has experienced a quiet resurgence in recent years. The choice of calendar models has also evolved, reflecting changing tastes and attitudes — from Roxanne Guinoo and Ria Atayde to unexpected picks such as Ninong Ry, Sassa Girl, and Angelie “Pench” Andanar.

Brandon Jon Limpe-Aw, vice president for administration of Destileria Limtuaco — the country’s oldest existing distillery and maker of White Castle Whisky — said the brand has consciously reimagined the calendar as more than a glamour or sexy platform.

“We try our best to leverage our calendars as a platform to raise social issues, such as LGBTQ rights, body positivity, and tattoo acceptance,” he said. “This time, we wanted to take a lighter approach. We wanted to return to having a classic sexy endorser, but with a good sense of humor. We wanted someone who could embody the persona of White Castle Whisky, especially on social media. If you visit White Castle Whisky’s social media pages, you’ll see that the brand voice is very humorous. Most of our posts are memes and funny videos. So we wanted an endorser with that same attitude and personality.”

Limpe-Aw added that Rivera was a natural fit for the brand’s tone, especially online.

Destileria Limtuaco executive vice president Aaron James Limpe-Aw echoed this direction, noting that the brand has shifted its messaging in recent years.

“Since 2020, we’ve been trying to use our platform to share meaningful messages,” he said. “Right now, our message focuses on finding joy in the lighter moments. That’s why we have our White Castle Light. If you look at our social media pages, it’s really about having fun in everyday life. We take the most mundane things and make light of them. Previously, we tackled more serious issues. But now we’ve realized that not everything has to be serious. Sometimes people resonate with something simpler, something more relatable. We’re all about having fun now, and that’s what you can expect from the brand. We’ll continue to champion being lighthearted and playful.”

Before entering mainstream television, Rivera built a following on TikTok and YouTube through her comedic persona, Petra Mahalimuyak. She later became a Sparkle GMA Artist talent and a regular cast member of the comedy sketch show Bubble Gang. In 2024, she co-launched the podcast Chicks 2 Go with fellow comedian and social media personality Hershey Neri, sharing humorous takes on everyday experiences and relationships

Rivera is now adding “calendar girl” to her growing list of career milestones. She cites actress and 1984 White Castle calendar girl Carmi Martin as an inspiration.

“I’m incredibly honored and thrilled,” Rivera said. “White Castle Whisky has such an iconic place in Filipino culture. To be chosen as the 2026 calendar girl feels surreal. I’ve been dreaming about this after being inspired by Tita Carmi Martin, and I can’t wait for everyone to see what we created.”

The idea came to her while shooting an episode of the sitcom Happy to Get Her in Boracay with John Lloyd Cruz and Carmi Martin.

“Then they said, ‘Let’s bring back your White Castle look.’ That’s when the idea came to me. I thought, yes — it’s so classic, so iconic. Not everyone gets the chance to be a calendar girl. I just mentioned it casually, and I didn’t know it would end up being one of the reasons I got this project,” she shared.

Brandon confirmed that Rivera had already been on their radar. “We actually noticed her after some friends shared a short podcast clip featuring her,” he said. “In that podcast, she talked about her dream of becoming a White Castle Girl, which piqued our interest. We explored her content and realized it aligns perfectly with the branding of White Castle Whisky. Plus, she has the looks and personality — so she’s a perfect fit for the brand.”

For Aaron, the decision ultimately came down to authenticity. “It’s really her just being herself,” he said. “That’s what aligns with us. We want to be a brand that’s authentic, engaging and fun.”