The Cebu music scene lost one of its respected punk rock guitarists, Chris Janulgue, on Jan. 25, 2026, following complications from a brain hemorrhage. Janulgue played prominent roles as guitarist for The Ambassadors and Twinkle Dudu and was a familiar presence in Cebu’s tightly knit independent music community.
Friends and bandmates remember him not just for his talent, but for his quiet consistency, generosity and the ease with which he made people feel at home.
“Chris never wasted words. He was direct, brutally honest when it mattered and always down for a food trip. From the adventures we started in 1999 to our shared obsession with ice cream and chocolates, he became the younger brother I never had. I’ll carry the adventures forward for both of us, brad. Grief doesn’t have a timeline, but I’ll keep going.” -- Dennis Suakito Suarez (The Ambassadors, Queen City Crew)
“Chris was a nonchalant kid. He wouldn’t talk to you unless you started the conversation. He was a freshman in high school when I first met him — that was 28 years ago. Bai introduced Chris to me during a band rehearsal of Six Flags Ahead. Our friendship got deeper when I asked him to join a hardcore band with us and that’s when Diffused was formed. Later on, we started another band after Diffused disbanded and that was the birth of Recycled Teenagers. Chris was pure talent, with a genuine heart — very down-to-earth. We shared good and challenging times together, but our friendship was something built to last.” -- Charles Sixtyfortyfive (Queen City Crew)
“Not just a friend, but a brother. We met Chris way back in the late ’90s. The youngest in our circle, but always one of the best souls we knew. We shared the same love for music, countless tambay moments, laughter, and memories we’ll never forget. Chris was our ‘chill boy’ — no issues, no drama, just pure vibes and pure talent. Grabe kaayo ka talented, always inspiring us with his riffs and his words: ‘Ayaw ka hadlok, maanad raka ana.’ Damn, tol, I miss you. Cebu lost a great musician, a true friend, and a brother.
Rest in peace, tol. Kita-kits puhon.” - Carlo Manucan (Kick in da Face)
“When you’ve been in a band for so long, bandmates eventually become family.
Chris, you were a brother to me. You were one of the best guitar players I’ve ever known, even though you would’ve shrugged that off with total humility. The best thing about you was that you chose to share what you knew with everybody who came to you — whether it was about guitars, tones, gadgets or music in general. That’s exactly why you were so loved in the community. I’m lucky and honored to have shared the stage with you. I’ll always miss those conversations on the drive home after gigs, talking about anything — even the silly things, like we always did. You never liked anything sentimental. You met every moment with humor. That’s how you lived. Yet here we are, with a thousand stories to tell, and I find myself running out of words. Rest in peace, Chris.” - Joseph Agura (The Ambassadors)
“Chris (CityBoi) (The Home Bud). ‘Huwat lang ko nimo diri sa balay, pre!’ My good friend, my dream guitarist, my dream bandmate — and yet we never got to write songs together. Well, at least we tried. Still, I feel very blessed and honored to have played alongside The Ambassadors and Twinkle Dudu for so many gigs, and also with Sludge for our Snot covers. I will forever miss our laughter, our jokes at each other, and our hangouts in his room with Sua (The Ambassadors) and Papi (Twinkle Dudu), playing PS3 all night — the good times. I love you, pre. I’ll see you again in the afterlife.” - Paul Aguilar (The Line Divides, Sludge, Loudhouse)
Janulgue’s legacy lives on in the music he helped shape and the community he quietly strengthened. In a scene built on noise and urgency, he was a steady presence — measured, generous and deeply respected.