Charles Teves
Filipinos are glad that GMA Network series such as Maria Clara at Ibarra (MCAI) and ABS-CBN’s Dirty Linen continue to score more viewers despite stiff competition.
In a tweet, Jimpy Anarcon said he was elated to see local programs gain traction.
“Ang saya that Maria Clara at Ibarra and Dirty Linen are bringing back people to TV. Wag niyo na awitan ng network wars ito. Tayong lahat naman ang panalo,” he tweeted on February 2.
https://twitter.com/jimpylosophies/status/1621175418563985408?s=20&t=9byU32McSd0aMx1NW3CRpQ
Many also agreed that the “network wars” don’t do much for their respective shows.
https://twitter.com/LunaAlyeska/status/1621533788932280320?s=20&t=9byU32McSd0aMx1NW3CRpQ
True. Network wars talaga ang sumisira ng lahat. https://t.co/UyGtX3FUWQ
— Maisie123 (@Oddicted4) February 3, 2023
MCAI and Dirty Linen are arguably the two best soap operas on Philippine television.
can we all appreciate the production behind Maria Clara at Ibara and Dirty Linen? quality TV series on the way!!! #MCAI #DirtyLinen
— Manang Precious ✨ (@JustLoviPoe) January 26, 2023
murag it’s the time for Filipino Series to go international. 2G2BT has it. MCAI has it. DirtyLinen has it!
— Engr. Kirbie (@kirbiebore) January 31, 2023
mcai & dirty linen r really good like local tv has not been this good in a minute
— a (@silenabrgd) February 2, 2023
https://twitter.com/aynbernos/status/1620224114165448706?s=20&t=eWqsCXa3sYvo9pL9rqyeag
https://twitter.com/janigmatic/status/1620824450458591233?s=20&t=BhNzMjyv5K5lF-Sd884BZQ
MCAI, a fan-favorite, was recently named the Best TV Series at the 7th GEMS Awards. The stars of the show received recognition for their exceptional performances.
Juancho Triviño won Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for his portrayal of Padre Salvi, while Andrea Torres received the same award for her role as Sisa.
Dennis Trillo, an award-winning Kapuso actor, won Best Performance by an Actor in a Lead Role for his portrayal of Crisostomo Ibarra. Barbie Forteza was recognized for her lead role as Klay and won Best Performance by an Actress in a Lead Role.
Triviño also received an award at the Gawad Lasallianeta. He credited the cast of the show tremendously.
The historical drama was awarded the title of Most Outstanding Teleserye at the ceremonies organized by De La Salle Araneta University.
“I just want to reiterate here how proud I am to be a part of this show. It started with a vision by our wonderful creatives and our bosses, which we also shared and then executed,” he wrote in a post.
“[Bridging] culture and society with entertainment is an achievement that I never thought I wanted but apparently fulfilled me to the core and [I’m] glad to be a part of it,” he added.
The Knights of Rizal presented MCAI with a special citation for promoting the national hero and his works in contemporary times.
At the 23rd International Assembly of the Knights of Rizal at the Manila Hotel, the organization praised the series for its crucial role in reigniting the ideals of freedom and nationalism in the current generation.
The Knights of Rizal stated that MCAI is aiding Filipinos in recognizing the present state of their lives through the representation of Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo by the characters.
“We now appreciate our life in a free country, while recognizing that there’s still so much we have to do to truly free our countrymen,” the citation read. “That thing had changed, but also, remain the same.”
The Knights of Rizal also acknowledged that the show has reinvigorated the national hero and placed him “at the center of our admiration and affection” once again.
“[It] demolished the perception that Rizal was a misogynist for making female characters miserable and weak in the novels. His intention was to warn Filipinos, not just women, of their tendency to be timid and to be passive.”
MCAI airs on GMA Telebabad on weekdays following 24 Oras. Viewers can [also] watch it on GMANetwork.com/KapusoStream, the GMA Network app, and the GMA YouTube channel.
Meanwhile, Dirty Linen’s success is attributed to its stellar cast that delivers every episode.
The show’s casting director deserves recognition for assembling a remarkable ensemble, including John Arcilla, Janice De Belen, Angel Aquino, Joel Torre, JC Santos, Christian Babbles, Tessie Tomas, Zanjoe Marudo, and more. Janine Gutierrez, known for her talent, demonstrates her versatility in the lead role. Her portrayal of the character’s ambitions, anxiety, eye movements, and nervous twitching resonates with the audience.
On top of that, the writing of Bridgette Rebuca, Jayson Mondragon, Maribel Ilag, and Kay Conlu-Brondial has been delivering surprising developments in nearly every episode.
However, this show is not suitable for all ages. It has already portrayed scenes of violence, blood, and abuse, but all in the appropriate context of the story. The show does not shy away from exploring dark elements, which works to its advantage.
TV viewership in the Philippines tanked after the House of Representatives shut media giant ABS-CBN down.
According to Ruperto Nicdao, the president of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP), TV ratings were higher when ABS-CBN shows were still airing on free TV. He stated that research conducted by Nielsen and Kantar Media Philippines showed that TV viewership reached a high of 23% to 24% in the early months of the pandemic but dropped to the pre-COVID-19 level of 13.8% to 10% when ABS-CBN Network got compelled to fold.
