There’s no stopping the country’s leading broadcast network in uniting Filipinos in love and hope, as GMA Network keeps providing top-notch content to Kapuso viewers here and abroad.
Following the first slew of Kapuso shows and election special successfully unveiled during the first two months of the year – beginning with “Mano Po Legacy: The Family Fortune,” “I Can See You: AlterNate,” “Little Princess,” “Prima Donnas Book 2,” “First Lady,” “Widows’ Web,” “The Best Ka!,” “Agimat ng Agila Book 2,” “My Husband in Law,” “The Penthouse Season 3,” and “The Jessica Soho Presidential Interviews” – GMA keeps the ball rolling with more exciting shows in the pipeline.
But this is just the beginning.
For the first months of 2022, the Kapuso Network posted a solid start with both GMA and its second free-to-air channel, GTV, reigning supreme.
From Nielsen’s January and February official data, GMA and GTV tallied a combined average of 52.1 percent total day people audience share in Total Philippines. Notably, GMA and GTV’s dominance is more pronounced in the primetime block (6 pm to 10:30 pm), with a combined average of 54.7 percent people audience share.
"Ang ganda ng pasok ng 2022. We have a very exciting line-up of shows currently airing at marami pang ginagawang programs. So it has been a good start for the first quarter of GMA," said Lilybeth G. Rasonable, GMA Senior Vice President for Entertainment Group, during a Zoom with the entertainment press on March 11.
In the same media conference, Jose Mari R. Abacan, GMA First Vice President for Program Management Department; Nessa S. Valdellon, GMA First Vice President for Public Affairs; and Rasonable, shared updates on some of their stars and programs lined up this year.
On Marian Rivera:
Rasonable: "Naka-leave pa s'ya. She has two children na dapat ingatan so hanggang ngayon naka-leave pa siya except for what she's doing for Nessa which she shoots at home for 'Tadhana.' Hopefully, now that things are easing up, and then she's having more comfort going out, hopefully baka bumalik na sya. Baka puwede na, unti-unti. Kasi matagal na rin namin siyang hinihintay lalo na ang kanyang fans na talagang kinukulit na kami."
On John Lloyd Cruz:
Abacan: "Nag-e-enjoy kaming kasama si John Lloyd. Gusto namin siya at marami kaming pini-pitch na project sa kanya. Yung 'Happy To Get Her' will have a second season. So ibig sabihin nun kasama pa rin namin siya. Sana huwag na muna siyang umalis. I'm sure marami pa kaming gagawin nila John Lloyd. We are working at something with him. Basta andyan lang si John Lloyd. Very creative siya. Kung ano maisip niya, ibinabato namin kay Ness at Lilybeth. Baka meron silang magawa."
On Villar's broadcast network:
Abacan: "Ang dami na nating nakalaban at ang dami na rin tumapat sa atin. Laro ito eh. So maglaro tayo ng maayos. Tignan natin. May mananalo at may matatalo. I welcome it because in a way, marami ang magkakatrabaho uli sa industriya. Everytime na may sumusulpot na ganyan, merong magkakaroon ng trabaho. Masarap din yung may kumpitensya. It keeps us on our toes. Masarap yung laro. Ang corny naman kung wala tayong kalaban. Maganda rin yung may competition so that you see the other side of the fence as well."
Rasonable: "Good answer, Joey. More work for more people."
Valdellon: "We really look forward to having a competition. It really keeps us on the edge."
On four drama queens - Marian Rivera, Heart Evangelista, Jennylyn Mercado, and Bea Alonzo - now on GMA:
Rasonable: "We always assure fans that their idols will get a project that they will be proud of. When we create a program for an artist, it cannot be something mediocre for them kasi if these projects will not help them, it will not help up us. We do our grid way in advance. In fact, we already have 2023 in the grid, and we already identified kay Marian, kay Bea. Kumbaga, lahat sila ay mabibigyan (ng tamang project). Sometimes it takes a long time to find a perfect material for them because that is how important to us to be able to give them something that will be successful. Something that will push them further at matutuwa ang kanilang fans."
Abacan: "Sa experience ko working with the big stars, may mga certain times talaga na they are the ones who want to produce also, so I offer certain partnerships. That's the reason why naguusap kami ni Lilybeth. So paikot lahat. We share our plans."
On incoming news pillars of GMA:
Valdellon: "GMA News and Public Affairs is gearing up for 'Debate 2022: The GMA Presidential Face-Off.' It will be hosted by Vicky Morales and Pia Arcangel with Mike Enriquez and Mel Tiangco as panelists. 'Debate 2022: The GMA Presidential Face-Off' aims to serve as the voters' final compass in deciding who is deserving of their vote for the highest position in the land. Presidential candidates are set to face each other and argue on their stand on various issues and on how they will solve some of the country’s pressing problems."
"It's been a decade since we presented our news pillars Jessica Soho, Mike Enriquez, Mel Tiangco, Vicky Morales, Howie Severino and Arnold Clavio. It's always them na sila ang naka front sa elections. We have so many second-line anchors and hosts who are really well, and they have come of age already. So it's time for us to promote them. We will unveil these new news pillars before the elections. Ito yung mga news pillars na effectively they've been able to reach our audiences with their hosting. Ito yung mga mataas na ratings, ito yung mga nakakamit ng maraming awards. They are journalists who are on their feet. They are people who have been doing their own documentaries and reports for years now, that's why they are on that list."
On the time slot left behind by Willie Revillame:
Valdellon: "Actuallly Miss Lilybeth is about to launch 'Family Feud' by March 18. It will be hosted by Dingdong Dantes."
Rasonable: "We want to offer different entertainment and public affairs shows in that time slot. For now, we have Family Feud, and then later on, we will be announcing other shows lined-up in that time slot."
On "Start-Up" project with Bea & Alden Richards:
Rasonable: "In the next few days, mare-reveal na ang full cast, I just cannot do it now because we have agreed with CJNM on the promotion of the show, and we're bound to do that, but it will come in the next few days. Sa pagpili kay Bea and Alden, actually, nung papasok si Bea, talagang si Alden ang partner niya. We really looked for a material na bagay sa kanila. I am really amazed kung paano nag leak ang bagay na ito pero ang galing nung mga nagpo post sa social media. Nakaka-tense dahil mahigpit din yung may ari ng franchise. So they have a certain way of doing things na kailangan sabayan on the promotion and announcement. It was a long, tedious process of arguments. May kanya kanya kasing idea kung sino ang babagay. So at the end of the day, dapat may consensus kami. May risk na hindi mo naman masa-satisfy lahat ng fans ng show eh. But we're hoping we would be able to do a good job na mas magugustuhan ng audience. Ang dami rin naman bashing noon sa 'Descendants of the Sun' but when they saw it, tumigil na ang mga reklamo."
On reviving showbiz talk shows:
Rasonable: "Nauunahan na ng Twitter eh. Social media has changed the way content is being dished out on television. Buti na lang may '24 Oras Chika Minute,' they can still do it as it happens or immediately. Pero kung gagawa ka ng talk show, kunyari every weekend, malamang naibalita na yun. Malamang lumabas na sa Twitter. Pero meron na kaming online chismis show na ngayon hosted by Boobay at si Pepita. It's called 'Kalerks.' It's online, on YouTube. Puro chismis yan. Doon sinabi ni Kelley Day na wala siyang kinalaman kay Carla and Tom. Ang bilis eh. Bago mo ma-confirm, nagsalita na 'yung isang artista sa Twitter."
Abacan: "Mas mabibilis ang mga marites ngayon. Naalala ko noong bata ako kila Ate Luds ako nanonood. Pero ngayon online na, minsan Twitter at Instagram meron na."