RIGHT now, while I’m still burping up gaseous reminders of all the food I gobbled up and all the scotch whiskey I swigged during the holidays, I decided that 2021 will be a better year for me than the sh*tstorm that was 2020. It’s got to be.
I tried thinking up of New Year’s resolutions to match with the better-year mantra I got going. So I thought of all the people I follow on social media whose lives seem to be perfect and how I would want to emulate them this year. Like Tootsy Echauz-Angara. She always looks fabulous while managing to devote time to her adorable family and her flourishing career. Plus, her house always looks spotless, her clothes always on point, and all the food she posts seem so lavish yet she doesn’t gain a single pound.
And so after five seconds of scrolling and stalking her account, I realized it will take me at least three lifetimes to achieve the glamour of her toenail. That’s when I decided to forego my resolutions and look elsewhere on how to make 2021 a rockin’ one.
So I decided to scroll through social media some more and that’s when I found out how 2021 will be a rockin’ one for me, all thanks to Senate President Tito Sotto and beloved Rep. Vilma Santos-Recto. You see, they both expressed support for the renewal of the franchise of ABS-CBN.
Sen. Sotto filed a bill on January 4 stating “ABS-CBN is still the top choice of viewers in the Philippines as its viewers nationwide prefer to catch relevant news and inspiring TV series on ABS-CBN as the network registered an average audience share of 45 percent or 14 points higher than GMA’s 31 percent. ABS-CBN’s wide reach to Filipinos, alongside the undeniable advantages of broadcast media relative to mass communication, definitely calls for the immediate renewal of the network’s franchise.”
Meanwhile, Ate Vi is going to file a bill soon citing that once the franchise is renewed, she hopes it will create more jobs and help promote competition among TV networks. She also noted that the far reach of ABS-CBN in regions during calamities is of big help and further wishes that congress will act immediately on Sotto’s bill.
I am fervently hoping that ABS-CBN will have its franchise renewed as the Kapamilya Network is set to release a number of projects including a much-awaited Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla comeback (an epic series about love in different time periods) and the big screen reunion of Bea Alonzo and John Lloyd Cruz.
Also in the pipeline are Darna: The TV Series starring Jane de Leon, and Huwag Ka Mangamba, an inspirational series starring The Gold Squad Francine Diaz, Andrea Brillantes, Kyle Echerri and Seth Fedelin. Other offerings of the Kapamilya Network are Init sa Magdamag starring Yam Concepcion, JM de Guzman and Gerald Anderson; La Vida Lena with Erich Gonzales and JC de Vera; and Almost Paradise, an American produced TV series shot entirely in the Philippines.
Variety show Your Face Sounds Familiar will also return for another season hosted by Luis Manzano.
Meanwhile, ABS-CBN will still produce movies, and among the films to watch out for are those headlined by KathNiel, Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil, and Vice Ganda. And then of course, there’s the big-screen reunion of John Lloyd and Bea, titled No Goodbyes, to be directed by Cathy Garcia-Molina.
Other films slated for 2021 are Princess DayaReese starring Maymay Entrata and Edward Barber; Hello Stranger The Movie starring Tony Labrusca and JC Alcantara; Love or Money starring Angelica Panganiban and Coco Martin; Soul Sistahs starring Karla Estrada, Melai Cantiveros and Jolina Magdangal; Keys to the Hearts starring Zaijian Jaranilla and Sharon Cuneta; and Ang Mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan starring Joshua Garcia.
Meanwhile, on iWantTFC, new series and movies will also be streamed, such as Count Your Lucky Stars with Jerry Yan, Tenement 66 starring Francine Diaz, Hoy…I Love You with Joross Gamboa and Roxanne Guinoo, the Thai BL series A Tale of a Thousand Stars, and Unloving U starring Loisa Andalio and Ronnie Alonte.
