TV5's comeback: Power moves, star signings and rumors rocking showbiz

TV5 may well be the network most challenged to prove itself a power player in 2026.

We prefer to frame it this way rather than outright contradict fellow columnist Alex Brosas’ grim assessment of the Kapatid network’s future — an outlook seemingly prompted by its decision to drop all its high-rating ABS-CBN shows without immediately replacing them with equally compelling content.

TV5’s reason for removing the ABS-CBN programs was non-payment for airtime use. At the time, only ABS-CBN and former senator Manuel Villar appeared aware that a deal had already been forged, allowing ABS-CBN to use all available airtime on Villar’s AllTV, which now broadcasts Kapamilya shows after the government awarded the franchise to Villar’s company.

Despite broadcasting on its old frequency, ABS-CBN seems legally barred from calling itself a network, due to certain technicalities.

Meanwhile, TV5 has locked in stars including Piolo Pascual, Cristine Reyes, Derek Ramsay, and Andrea Brillantes for various shows. Even Piolo’s son, Inigo, has a show, though he is reportedly unsigned to a contract.

Johnny “Mr. M” Manahan joined TV5 months ago, and while there were reports he would revive the network’s talent-discovery reality show Artista Academy, it seems he is quietly developing other projects behind the scenes.

Though the network may have been caught off-guard, it is clearly seizing opportunities to remain a major player in the country’s lucrative entertainment industry.

Power plays and pretenses

The hunt for the “power couple in showbiz” has yielded mixed results.

Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes deny being the couple. Toni Gonzaga similarly dismissed rumors involving her and husband Paul Soriano as “walang kakuwenta-kuwentang balita.”

Janine Gutierrez and Jericho Rosales qualify as a power couple, even unmarried, but have not reacted to speculation that they are pretending all is well in their partnership.

Other notable pairings, such as Dan Villegas and Antonette Jadaone, Erik Matti and Mitch Yamamoto, and TM Reyes and Rita Avila, have remained silent amid whispers that professional partnerships are being used to mask private instability.

Whoever initiated the “search” for the showbiz power couple must be feeling embarrassed — a party invitation sent, only a handful arrived.

Controversial bomb

A recent PEP.ph report by the Troika — Jerry Olea, Gorgy Rulla, and talent manager-publicist Noel Ferrer — raises eyebrows. Published on 16 January, the report implied that some prominent female showbiz personalities may be “moonlighting” as companions for wealthy businessmen and politicians, under the guise of “pakiki-PR.”

According to the report, these arrangements start innocuously with dinner dates, with the female celeb earning a PR fee in the hundreds of thousands. In one instance, a male host offered a luxury car ride, elevating the fee substantially — all tax-free.

The Troika did not reveal how they obtained such intimate knowledge, but the credibility of the report is bolstered by PEP.ph’s longtime editor Jo-Anne Maglipon, and the respected reputations of the Troika members themselves. Ferrer, notably, is both a journalist and a legitimate PR professional, illustrating how lines between media roles can blur in the Philippines.

While the report relied entirely on blind items, its publication by reputable journalists lends it weight, raising questions about certain showbiz practices and the nature of celebrity PR in the country.