Dreams, docus, diversity on GMA next year

Excellent storytelling that impacts society has always been at the core of what GMA Public Affairs.

A pioneer in documentary, talk, and news magazine programming, GMA Public Affairs has put the Philippines on the world stage, with its legacy programs recognized by prestigious award-giving bodies — from Cannes to Monte Carlo, London, New York, and Tokyo — even bagging four prestigious George Foster Peabody Awards trophies and a nod from the Emmys.

In 2023, impactful storytelling will remain at its core as it expands message-making to a wider audience through a diverse lineup of formats and titles.

Lolong and his crocodile friend Dakila are set to make a big comeback. Lolong: Ang Luha ng Unang Atubaw follows the journey of Lolong (Ruru Madrid) after realizing his full potential as a hero who can save people from the hands of corrupt men. After freeing the people of Del Rio and Tumahan from the wicked Armando Banson (Christopher de Leon), Lolong chooses to live a peaceful life with the surviving Atubaws and Elsie (Shaira Diaz), the woman he loves. But fate plays a cruel joke when they discover that the most important treasure of their tribe — the crystallized tear of the first Atubaw, is missing.

Ruru Madrid's busy year will see him team up with real-life sweetheart Bianca Umali in The Write One, a romantic drama with a touch of fantasy to be produced in partnership with a major online platform.

Action series Black Rider and fantasy tale Sireno are also set to begin production in 2023.

In Zero Kilometers Away, Kyline Alcantara and Mavy Legaspi play Gwen and Ardi, BFFs who initially meet on a dating app and decide to keep it platonic. But as Ardi and Gwen navigate their different "matches" side by side, will either of them realize that "the one" might already be there — just zero kilometers away? Meanwhile, My Dreams follows Via (Sophia Pablo) who starts to have lucid dreams about dating the perfect guy, only to find out that he exists in real life as Jecoy (Allen Ansay) who has no idea who she is — or so she thinks.

At least four feature films are in the works for Public Affairs' newly formed film division: Firefly follows a young boy's search for the mythical island of fireflies described in his mother's bedtime stories.
Penthouse 77 is a psychological thriller that confronts the horrors of homelessness in a city filled with both skyscrapers and shanties. The Cheating Game, headlined by Julie Anne San Jose and Rayver Cruz, will be a feverish, deep dive into the psyche of two individuals who were cheated on… and how differently they react to betrayal. Version Two is a sci-fi romance-drama that explores both the uplifting and heartbreaking nature of memories and will pave the way for a surprise pairing between two stars from different home networks.

The year 2023 will be a year of documentary specials shot in 4k with Lost Sabungeros as the banner title. Planting White Seeds, which tells the story of one
man with an unorthodox offer to distribute his seed to Filipinas via artificial insemination, and Afam Hunters which explores the unique connections between Pinays and their foreigner lovers, complete the 4k docu lineup.

Flagship documentary program I-Witness, celebrating 23 years as Philippine television's finest hour, will introduce fresh faces to its lineup of formidable hosts.
GMA Public Affairs wraps up its 2023 content slate with Resibo: Walang Lusot Ang May Atraso, a public service program aimed at giving a voice to the public's grievances and complaints, exposing wrongdoing, and providing concrete resolutions.