Hope springs eternal for free TV, and it is bouncing back and becoming bullish as ABS-CBN, TV5 and GMA 7 not only spruce up their program line-ups but dare to offer brave, bold and out-of-the-box entertainment fare.
ENRIQUE Gil and Andrea Brillantes.
JILLIAN Ward and David Licauco star in GMA 7’s ‘Never Say Die.’
Photograph courtesy of GMA-7
KATHRYN Bernardo and James Reid.
Photograph courtesy of ABS-CBN
With the reign of Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, Prime and other entertainment platforms, free television and its many programs are now dismissed as obsolete, with the public’s interest and support in their offerings not only waning, but obvious as seen in the dwindling number of advertisements and ratings, with the majority of programs shown in the one-digit territory. Its glory days are all gone with the wind.
However, hope springs eternal for free TV, and it is bouncing back and becoming bullish as ABS-CBN, TV5 and GMA 7 not only spruce up their program line-ups but dare to offer brave, bold and out-of-the-box entertainment fare.
The giant
GMA Network’s upcoming series in 2026 are: Kapuso Primetime King Dingdong Dantes will join award-winning child actress and Sparkle star Sienna Stevens again for The Master Cutter. Star of the New Generation Jillian Ward and Pambansang Ginoo (national gentleman) David Licauco will star in the action-romance-drama Never Say Die. Kiss all your BarDa dreams goodbye and weep — the Barbie Forteza and David Licauco partnership is dead.
Exciting reunions for former PBB Collab housemates Mika Salamanca, Brent Manalo, Will Ashley, Dustin Yu, Bianca de Vera, AZ Martinez, Ralph de Leon, River Joseph, Kira Balinger, Josh Ford, Klarisse de Guzman, Esnyr, and Xyriel Manabat for The Secrets of Hotel 88. Ashley Ortega, Elle Villanueva, and Derrick Monasterio are coming back to Afternoon Prime for Fire in the Blood, while Zephanie, Michael Sager, and Olive May will be thrilled in the musical drama Born To Shine. Beauty Gonzalez, Kris Bernal, Martin del Rosario, and Mike Tan bring extreme drama to House of Lies.
And as the fight intensifies, Encantadia Chronicles: Sang’gre, starring Bianca Umali, Faith da Silva, Kelvin Miranda and Angel Guardian, remains strong.
With these line-ups, GMA 7 asserts its claim and hold as the nation’s number-one network. It is hoped that when these shows get their airtime, they receive all the love and support. As many kibitzers proclaim, “naway hindi lang sila-sila ang nanonood ng mga inilalako nila (it is hoped that it is not only they who watch their own shows).”
MVP’s TV5
The Manuel V. Pangilinan–bankrolled and led network, TV5, boldly steps into 2026. They are unleashing formidable programming that will not only arouse the curiosity of the free TV viewing public but will make them stop, listen, and be glued to their TV sets as they offer romance, fantasy, action and reality.
Flagship shows include A Secret in Prague, starring Enrique Gil and newest Kapatid star Andrea Brillantes; My Bespren Emman, led by JM De Guzman, Shaina Magdayao, Ai-Ai Delas Alas, and Sid Lucero; and the Philippine adaptation of The Good Doctor, starring Iñigo Pascual.
More emotional and character-driven stories are slated to roll on their primetime slot with The Kingdom: Magkabilang Mundo, the TV sequel of the 2024 MMFF hit featuring Piolo Pascual and Sue Ramirez alongside other stars; Wattpad-based mystery Project Loki; and fantasy series Magic Boys.
You want more? There is indeed more with the resurrection of Tik Talks, the much-talked-about return of Artista Academy, the launch of Isayaw Mo, and Wilyonaryo, the comeback to end all comebacks with Willie Revillame as its host.
On 2 January, nights on TV5 take on a new flow as TodoMax Primetime Singko delivers a full evening experience — Una sa Lahat, Frontline Pilipinas, Totoy Bato, Cine Cinco Primetime, Frontline Tonight, and Vibe Nights filling the hours.
Without a doubt, MVP is pulling all the strings and investing in TV5 with the dream to sway a chunk of the free TV viewing audience’s pie. With these new offerings, the network’s transmission system must also be improving, and they must market and promote it in such a way that one will be sorry and feel left out if they do not give time to view them. A promo blitzkrieg and word-of-mouth campaign are not only important but necessary to earn the viewers’ liking and trust.
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Channel 2 is born again
Starting 2 January 2026, ABS-CBN’s Kapamilya Channel will show its free-to-air broadcast programs on the Villar’s ALL TV Channel 2. This move effectively returns all ABS-CBN–produced content and existing entertainment line-up to their original frequency location.
On Channel 2, what to expect are Someone, Someday, the first team-up of Kathryn Bernardo and James Reid, and for good measure, they added Maja Salvador, whose character’s motto is “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.” Another first-time pairing, this generation’s best actor Joshua Garcia and the millennial bathaluman (goddess), are the leads of Love Is Never Gone, touted as the first Filipino drama series shot in Morocco. There is an untitled action drama that will pit Richard Gutierrez against Gerald Anderson.
Play Celine Dion’s “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now,” with Maala-Ala Mo Kaya, with Charo Santos-Concio as its letter reader, spring anew, and the next chapter of Incognito is on full-throttle mode, to be showcased on Netflix first and three nights later on Channel 2, of course.
There are two returning game shows with Luis Manzano as host, namely Kapamilya: Deal or No Deal and Minute To Win It.
ABS-CBN joins the micro-drama entertainment wave with seven new programs up for grabs soon on iWantTFC.
The Lopezes collaborating with the Villars with a frequency that used to be theirs is, without a doubt, the biggest “believe-it-or-not” story and reality this side of the Southeast Asian Hollywood.
With the networks in full swing once more, it is the audience who benefits from this competition. Let’s see who will be in, who will be out, and who will be the advertisers’ favorite and the ratings winner.
