TV5 launches new ESPN5 venture

It’s been four years since ESPN disappeared from Philippine airwaves and Filipino viewers will now able to see ESPN content after so long, like The X Games and SportsCenter. (PHOTO: TV5 and ESPN, Inc.)

Back after four years.

Back in the 90s and into 2000s, Filipinos were able to see ESPN content through a dedicated ESPN channel targeted towards Asia. It was a joint venture between ESPN, Inc. and STAR TV. Eventually, as 2013 enters, STAR TV’s then-parent company, News Corporation (now 21st Century Fox), decided to buy ESPN’s stake in the ESPN Asia venture and rebranded into Fox Sports.

Limited ESPN programming was seen on various channels since ESPN Asia became Fox Sports, like on Outdoor Channel or Solar Sports.

And earlier today, TV5 Network, Inc. and ESPN, Inc. eventually announced a long-term collaboration agreement to introduce a new, but somewhat familiar, sports brand that will serve Filipino sports fans.

Enter ESPN5.

Sports5 will be rebranded as ESPN5 starting tomorrow’s PBA coverage. As for sports lineup, according to Sports5, ESPN5 will air TV5’s current sports portfolio, which includes the PBA and FIBA competitions, Gilas basketball, UFC and the PSL, along with thousands of hours of sports coverage and ESPN content, which include more than 70 NFL games per season. This include Monday Night, Sunday Night and Thursday Night Football games, as well as the entire NFL Playoffs, the Pro Bowl, and the Super Bowl. Other ESPN programming includes live studio programming (e.g. Around The Horn and Pardon The Interruption), US College Basketball (including the much-anticipated March Madness), ESPN’s Big Fights library, ESPN’s award-winning documentaries, Major conference American College Football, IndyCar racing and US NCAA college sport championships. Also on the pipeline is the localized SportsCenter Philippine Edition, and will be produced everyday from TV5 Media Center along Reliance Street in Mandaluyong. SportsCenter Philippine Edition will air on TV5 and Aksyon TV.

According to Mike Morrison, the Vice President and General Manager of ESPN Asia-Pacific, “ESPN’s focus around the world is simple: to serve sports fans. This long-term collaboration across television and digital allows us to jointly serve millions of sports fans in the Philippines with exceptional content and coverage. We are very excited about the opportunities that lie ahead as we bring ESPN’s great content, and decades of experience in sports media together with a dynamic leader in Philippine sports broadcasting like TV5.”

According to TV5 President Vincent “Chot” Reyes, “Our partnership with ESPN, long recognized as the worldwide leader in sports, gives us tremendous upside in the quality of sports programming that we bring to the market.  ESPN strengthens our current position as the country’s sports authority. It is also a testament to our belief that the Filipino audience deserves the world’s best in sports content and programming.”

Sports5 reiterated that the content deal between ESPN and TV5 is “part of TV5’s effort to deliver the most comprehensive, wide-ranging sports coverage in the Philippines, with Filipino audiences benefiting from the combination of local and global sports coverage, exclusive, industry-leading news and information programming from both ESPN and TV5.”

It might be good news for Filipino sports fans who missed ESPN since its disappearance last January 28, 2013, for TV critics, it’s still too early to tell whether the venture will be successful or not, and TV critics reiterated the need for TV5 to strengthen its signal in order to fully compete against ABS-CBN’s S+A and their more local sports offerings.

The signal alone is also hampering TV5 ever since and MVP spent huge amounts of money to lure in big-name celebrities with mixed results. Nowadays, TV5 is basically a majority sports channel, with some entertainment programs (mainly US imports), news, cartoons, movies and home shopping. Was it money well spent on the new ESPN5 venture? It’s still too early to tell ESPN5’s fate, but we will look back on TV5’s overspending and sports spree next time.

REFERENCE: http://sports.tv5.com.ph/sports5/article/tv5-and-espn-collaborate-to-launch-espn-5#ixzz4vG2bVEdT

More FM Networks Manileños Want To Hear

This is part two of my series regarding provincial networks that Manileños want to hear.

Everybody was surprised last June 30 when Home Radio went back to the thing that they were known for – being the #1 easy listening station, just three years after the ill-fated attempt to reformat to the masa format, and didn’t click at all after few months, and later becoming a CHR local station, but with varied results.

Without further adieu, I will continue with the series, with an update on one of my entries, concerning a certain station of Viva Live.

After a disastrous attempt on being a Top 40 station, Viva Live decided to reformat Oomph! Radio into an all-OPM FM station named Halo-Halo Radio. (DISCLAIMER: The photo used is from 105.1 Halo-Halo Radio Cebu) (SOURCE: Viva Live)

Last time, I mentioned that Manileños want to hear Oomph! Radio just five months ago. Oh well, times have changed. Enter Viva Live’s Halo-Halo Radio. Similar to Pinas FM 95.5 of Eagle Broadcasting Corporation, Halo-Halo Radio plays only OPM hits throughout its broadcast day. It is currently available in Metro Cebu, Metro Davao and Zamboanga City. If Viva Live managed to secure a full-powered FM station in Metro Manila sometime in the future, we’re sure that Halo-Halo Radio will surely give Pinas FM its only all-OPM competitor.

Puerto Princesa-based Radyo Bandera Network, founded by Elgin Robert Damasco, a former radio personality of RMN Gensan and Brigada News FM Puerto Princesa, emerged as the biggest threat to Brigada News FM’s superiority on the provincial news FM market, expanding to both big and small markets across the country within just over a year. (SOURCE: Radyo Bandera Network)

Another news FM outlet. Do I need to say more? Enter Radyo Bandera (no relation to the Inquirer-owned Bandera tabloid). It is actually based in Puerto Princesa City in Palawan, founded by another anchor-turned-media conglomerate owner Elgin Robert Damasco. After working in various radio stations in his native General Santos City and Puerto Princesa City (including a stint with Brigada News FM Puerto Princesa, owned by another Gensan native Elmer Catulpos), he launched Radyo Bandera and was serious to take on the news FM outlets in Puerto Princesa. He even expanded his network across Palawan and Mindanao (including his native General Santos City), put up a TV station in Puerto Princesa, and expanded his output in Visayas and putting one within Metro Manila’s doorstep, in Olongapo City. The closest station Manileños will hear a Radyo Bandera News FM station is in Olongapo, and is at 107.1 MHz, but good luck trying to receive that station, thanks to a pirate FM station invading the airwaves in Metro Manila, at 107.1 MHz playing Japanese music and even freaking Morse Code. The name is Radyo Kontra Weeaboo. Back to Radyo Bandera, since the airwaves in Metro Manila is way too crowded, they should do the same stop-gap solution Brigada News FM employed in Metro Manila with stations in Batangas, Pampanga and Olongapo, should they decide to expand to Metro Manila. Good luck with that anyway.

Just like the stations I’ve mentioned in the first part, I wish them the best of luck in trying to deal with Metro Manila’s already-overcrowded FM dial.

Yabang Tales: Stations’ obsessions on being #1

Looks like the #1 obsession is contagious.

It seems that once na nagiging #1 ang himpilan mo, doon na naguumpisa ang pagmamayabang. I have to admit that it’s true, especially on stations which I will spotlight. Better stay tuned to find out why.

Kantar and Nielsen surveyed listeners and viewers on what station they listen or watch the most and the basis on their surveys will be forwarded to broadcasters and advertisers. Survey results will affect the outcome and performance of a certain station. Stations would be proud of being #1 on a certain time, but boasting about being #1 for a long time, pagmamayabang na yan.

Let’s talk about the stations that liked to boast about being the best, but survey results proved otherwise.

MBC FM TRIO (Love Radio, Yes The Best/Yes FM and Easy Rock)

First on the spotlight is the MBC FM trio. DZRH might be home to Mocha Uson and Greco Belgica, but they will be discussed on another time. Let’s spotlight the MBC FM triopoly first. First up on the MBC FM trio is MBC’s flagship FM station, Love Radio.

Love Radio loves to boast about being #1 for 15 years already, especially to its loyal listeners, as well as advertisers. But boasting about it for a long time actually hurt the station’s portfolio, as MOR and Barangay LS have beat them in Metro Manila Kantar and Nielsen surveys. Even their provincial FM stations have suffered ratings slump, as well, being defeated by stations like MOR (in Puerto Princesa, Legazpi and Davao), Barangay (in Cebu (Nielsen)) iFM (in Gensan (Kantar)), or even Brigada News FM (in Cebu (Kantar), Gensan (Nielsen), Zamboanga and Koronadal). Reason to blame? The loss of Papa Jack (he resigned his post on Love Radio and has since moved to Energy FM (as Papa J)) did hurt Love Radio. Even with the addition of Lloyd Cadeña, Love Radio slumped to #3 on the January 2017 Kantar Media survey, and we are certain for sure that Love Radio will stop boasting about being #1 and accept the fact that MOR and Barangay LS are the kings of FM radio in Metro Manila.

The second on the MBC trio is Yes The Best. Yes FM Manila changed its branding to Yes The Best to target millenials, while provincial stations kept the Yes FM name. Despite its focus to target millenials, Yes The Best even boasted about being #2.

So much for being The Millenial’s Choice. Based on January 2017 Kantar Media survey, Yes The Best is actually #6, trailing behind iFM (#5) and its own sister stations Love Radio (#3) and Easy Rock (#4). Even their playlist is actually masa-based and targeted jejeje millenials, not the real millenials. If you’re a real millenial, there are other options for your music mix. There’s Home Radio, or even music streaming sites you can listen to, if you’re sick and tired of Yes The Best’s masa playlist.

The third station on the MBC trio is Easy Rock. Even on the January 2017 Kantar survey, Easy Rock is #4 among all FM stations surveyed in Metro Manila. Want to know why? Their playlist is almost identical to its sister stations Love and Yes, and more and more PUJs and PUV drivers listen to that station. Even Ralph talked about why WRock is way better than Easy Rock. If you missed WRock, you can still listen to their Cebu station online.

GMA 7: NUMBER 1???

Another station who loved to boast being #1 is GMA 7. They have Nielsen ratings survey to back it up, but they insist on being #1 nationwide, especially in Mega Manila and Urban Luzon, without any regard to the rest of Luzon, as well as Visayas and Mindanao, where there are several major markets on these areas. Kapuso fanatics will defend their beloved network till death, but TV observers noticed problems the network must face: their beloved weekday Astig Authority block is sinking, lack of talent development, as referenced by negative reviews of Full House Tonight and overemphasis on veteran talent, especially ignoring younger talent, blurred lines between GMA Entertainment (producing a public affairs program) and GMA Public Affairs (producing much-criticized entertainment programs), closure of originating regional stations, producing expensive programming, and questions surrounding GMA’s digitalization plans. With GMA facing a lot of problems, the only way to save GMA is for Gozon to give up his controlling stake and to fire Rasonable for good.

OTHER YABANG STATIONS

Even some provincial stations are not safe on the yabang craze. They still claim that they’re #1 from here and there, but ratings figures proved otherwise. Even on my home market, Koronadal, Happy FM Koronadal boasted on being #1 (just like their sister stations in Cotabato and Kidapawan) but have not even reached #1 for five years already since 2011, either from Kantar or Nielsen (and they finished #2 on Q4 2016 Kantar ratings on that market, which I will tackle soon).

As a listener myself, I have the right to make choices on my music mix. If these stations insist on their pagmamayabang mantra, it might end up on their downfall. Just stop boasting and make quality listening and viewing choices more convenient to Filipinos. So stop boasting.

Four FM Networks Manileños Want to Hear

As government-owned 104.3 Business Radio relaunches as FM2 since February 2, the FM landscape in the Metro has become more and more competitive. As for the FM brands like Brigada, Oomph, Mom’s and Wild, having a full-powered FM frequency in Metro Manila is very far from being possible, thanks to the tough competition on Manila airwaves.

Manileños even want Bombo Radyo or even 8TriMedia to set up an AM station due to available AM frequencies. So, here are the reasons why I think Brigada, Oomph, Mom’s and Wild deserve a full-powered FM frequency in Metro Manila.

Brigada News FM is close to achieving a full-powered FM frequency, thanks to their Makati studios and their well-known personalities like Weng Dela Peña, but they’re forced to use their frequency from Batangas to broadcast its programs to listeners in parts of Metro Manila. (Source: www.brigada.ph)

The first network is Brigada News FM. They’re so close, but yet so far. Why? They’re broadcasting on 104.7 out of Batangas, transmits from Mt. Banoy from Batangas and its signal in the Metro is somewhat weak, despite its 25,000-watt transmitter power, Makati studios and prominent personalities. They’re the supposed alternative from the already-established Radyo5 92.3 News FM despite the obvious problems from PBA to reluctance to air important news stories in favor of regular programming to vacant slots filled with Easy Rock-esque music, but the signal is hampering those hopes. Brigada airs your typical news/talk format, commonly heard on AM, in the mornings and on late afternoon, and airs music programming similar to masa stations on the rest of the broadcast day, plus programs from the company-owned Brigada Healthline like Lunch Date and Drivemax Nationwide (sponsored by Guard-C and Drivemax), as well as Brigada News program (sponsored by the company’s flagship product Powercells Herbal Capsule). Brigada might be successful in areas like Metro Cebu, Zamboanga, Koronadal or its home base in General Santos, but as far as Metro Manila is concerned, it might not happen anytime soon unless one of the low-rated FM stations might consider selling their station to Brigada Mass Media Corporation. If that happens, Brigada might give Radyo5 a run for its money.

Oomph! Radio might have its highs and lows on its stations in Cebu, Davao and Zamboanga, but with its unique CHR/OPM (mostly dominated by Viva artists) format, Viva Live might pour in money to invest on its future station in Metro Manila. (Source: Viva Live)

The second network that I think deserve a full-powered Metro Manila FM frequency is Viva Live’s Oomph! Radio. After acquiring Ultimate Entertainment’s franchise, Viva Live invested on Ultimate’s three FM stations and gave them a fresh start as Oomph! Radio. The three stations briefly struggled last year as they dropped Oomph! branding and began to brand as UR (in Cebu and Davao) or UE (in Zamboanga) and added classic hits, but their station in Davao struggled the most, in part due to the dominance of Wild 92.3 WT on the CHR/OPM format, and the departure of the jocks (from now-defunct 105.9 Mix FM) who made Oomph! Radio possible. The Oomph! branding returned last July and are now gaining back lost momentum. As far as having Oomph! in Metro Manila, the station might give 97.9 Home Radio a run for its money, but with the CHR market getting more and more competitive and with the impending launch of government-owned FM1 on 87.5, Viva should be cautious on investing a Metro Manila FM station.

Mom’s Radio might be a good alternative to already-established but ratings-hungry 96.3 Easy Rock (thanks to the playlist being almost similar to 90.7 Love Radio), as long as Solar Entertainment Corporation (now owning SBN) makes the right moves on putting its own Metro Manila FM station in the future. (Source: Solar Entertainment Corporation/SBN)

The third network is Solar-owned Mom’s Radio. The relaunched and re-energized Mom’s Radio, now partnered with Estima, have recaptured the hearts of mommies in Cebu, Davao and Bacolod, just like the first incarnation of Mom’s Radio a decade ago, with better and newer programming. Just recently, Mom’s Radio flagship morning program “Breakfast With Moms” is also aired on Solar-owned home hopping channel Shop TV, aside from its stations in Cebu, Bacolod and Davao, and was dubbed as “the first radio program to air on national television”, but radio and TV critics were quick to dispute that claim. As far as getting a Metro Manila FM station, introducing Mom’s Radio to Manileños via Shop TV is a good start, but as far as Solar is concerned, they might wait for a right time to purchase a low-rated Metro Manila FM station soon.

UMBN-owned Wild FM is already successful in Mindanao as the younger alternative to the already-established masa stations, thanks to its CHR format and the unique disco mix they popularized. (DISCLAIMER: The logo used is from UMBN’s flagship FM station Wild 92.3 WT in Davao City) (SOURCE: UMBN)

The fourth network Manileños want to hear is the already-popular Wild FM, owned by Davao-based University of Mindanao Broadcasting Network (UMBN). After finding success in Davao City just years after the EDSA People Power Revolution thanks to its CHR format and the popular dance re-mixes, Wild FM expanded to places like General Santos, Cagayan de Oro, Butuan, Iligan, Zamboanga (now known as Mango Radio), Valencia, Bukidnon, Cebu (now known as Retro Cebu) and Bacolod (now in Iloilo), and proved to be popular in those markets. As far as Manila airwaves is concerned, Wild FM might be successful among Mindanaoans and Ilonggos, as well as Cebuanos living in Metro Manila, but as far as Manila’s already-competitive CHR market is concerned, it might easily outrank its already-established competition in the CHR format thanks to its hybrid CHR/Dance/OPM format, as long as UMBN has enough money to invest a Metro Manila FM station.

 

These FM networks might have a bright future ahead, but as far as Manila airwaves is concerned, they’re already overcrowded and the FM networks mentioned above might have a hard time penetrating the hearts of Metro Manila listeners anytime soon. Libre ngang mangarap, pero hanggang blueprint lang ang post na ito.

Brigada’s Success Explained

Looks like 2016 really is a good year for Brigada after all. For anyone curious on what station they really are, Brigada News FM’s format is actually a hybrid of an AM station and a FM station airing the Hot Adult Contemporary format, well-known in the country as “masa”. Brigada Healthline might be their main advertiser, it is also sought after by advertisers after they heard the success of some of their stations.

If you wondered why Brigada News FM is considered an underdog by listeners in the Metro thanks to their weak signal, we need to take a look further on their success elsewhere.

The signal of 104.7 Brigada News FM National might be weak in parts of Metro Manila, it dominated the airwaves on its home market, Batangas, where the frequency is currently licensed. BNFM National proved on the 2015 Kantar Media survey to do just that.

Following the success in Batangas, the success went to the south and found its way to South Cotabato. 95.7 Brigada News FM Koronadal dominated the airwaves after that station was proclaimed overall #1 radio station on that market, based on the 2015 Kantar Media survey, besting more established names like RMN, Love Radio and Bombo Radyo.

Afterwards, the success found its way to Zamboanga. Just last February, 89.9 Brigada News FM Zamboanga became the overall #1 radio station on that market, also based on Kantar survey. It even beat some established names like RMN, Yes FM, MOR, iFM and Star FM. The news FM market in Zamboanga might be competitive (89.9 BNFM vs. e-Media News FM 105.9), but Brigada proved its worth.

And it continued on the place that started it all, General Santos. Just last summer, Nielsen proclaimed 89.5 Brigada News FM as the overall #1 radio station on that market. Not just that, it even defended that title as Nielsen proclaimed just last November that BNFM Gensan is still the overall #1 radio station. It even bested RMN, Bombo Radyo, Radyo Ronda, iFM, MOR, Home Radio, Wild FM, Love Radio, Barangay and Magic to do just that.

And it even continued to the Queen City of the South, Cebu City, considered as one of the largest and most competitive radio markets in the country. 93.1 Brigada News FM Cebu proved to itself last November that the said station became the #1 FM station in Metro Cebu, besting Barangay RT and MOR, who were battling for the #1 spot for years. Not even that, Brigada even destroyed Radyo5 101.9 News FM Cebu out of the Top 10, based on data from Kantar Media. RMN might dominate Cebu’s airwaves, for now, but other stations have considered Brigada News FM Cebu as one of the competition on one of the most competitive radio markets in the country.

Perhaps we should tell the story of Brigada’s success in markets where they’re not the #1 FM station, preferably the ones where they dominated the news FM category. In Davao, on the recent Kantar Media survey released this month, MOR might be #1 on the market, 91.5 Brigada News FM Davao, despite being ranked #7 on the FM band based on the station’s ratings, it even beat Radyo5 101.9 News FM, as the news FM leader on the most competitive news FM markets in the country. Not just that, they also beat 94.7 One Radio – Radyo Ni Juan, 105.9 Balita FM (reported to be inactive since end-September), and 98.7 Home Radio News FM (recently entered on the news FM market this year as a hybrid news radio/Top 40 station). BNFM Davao knocked out its competition out of Top 10 on Kantar survey, even behind Top 40 stations Monster Radio BT 99.5 and Magic 89.1, who ranked #11 and #12, respectively. In Kidapawan, North Cotabato, 97.5 Brigada News FM Kidapawan, despite being #2 overall where 88.7 Happy FM became #1 based on Kantar Media survey last February, they dominated the news FM segment on that city, beating 107.9 One Radio – Radyo Ni Juan and UMBN’s 92.9 Radyo Ukay (simulcasting its sister station Radyo Ukay 1089 AM).

There are some signs that 102.5 Brigada News FM Cagayan de Oro might beat 99.9 Magnum Radio, but time would tell if they did just that.

Manila will still think that Radyo5 have set the standard of the news FM station in the country and they still think so. Radyo5 might have started the trend back in 2010, but an unknown brand out of General Santos City, Brigada News FM, did revolutionize the news FM format that the people loved. Dumarami nga ang mga news FM stations na nagsusulputan like Muews Radio (with stations in most minor markets and Iligan being its significant major market), One Radio – Radyo Ni Juan (based in Davao and has stations in Davao Region and in North Cotabato) and Radyo Bandera (based in Palawan with stations in Puerto Princesa, General Santos, Bukidnon and Sultan Kudarat), but no one can match the success Brigada has achieved in the past two years.

For Manileños who still doubt Brigada’s success in the provinces, time will tell when Brigada would make an impact on the already-crowded airwaves. I repeat, time will tell, and a full-powered frequency to boot.

New Kid in Town in Koronadal FM

Looks like Brigada, Happy, Gold and Love are now bracing for a new, albeit low-powered competitor. Koronadal City, a bustling city of 158,000 (2010 NSO Census) and an hour and a half away from General Santos City, now has five FM stations. The sixth FM station, 97.9 Spring Radio, is licensed in nearby Tampakan, South Cotabato.

Enter 93.9 Marvelous Radio. The said FM station is owned and operated by Marvelous College of Technology, Inc. and its campus is located at M.H. Del Pilar St., Brgy. Zone IV, in this city. The said station is now in test broadcast since May 13 and is now airing the same music offered by its FM competitors. It is Koronadal’s first campus-owned station since 104.1 Wow Radio owned by Green Valley College Foundation, Inc., which signed on last December 2012 (the said station signed off last 2013, thanks to the entry of 95.7 Brigada News FM). As a campus-owned FM station, the said station is low-powered and its signal is best heard within the 300-meter radius of the said campus, which includes Protech Center, South Cotabato Provincial Capitol, Rizal Park, South Cotabato Sports Complex and Notre Dame of Marbel University. If you want to try to listen to that station in areas like Ace Centerpoint and KCC Mall of Marbel, you need a bigger antenna to pick up the said station.

Let’s see if that station will hold on for a long time, even when its four full-powered FM competitors are stepping up in order to become the top station in Koronadal.

My Thoughts on the Anti-Duterte ad paid by Trillanes

NOTE: This post is the personal opinion of the creator of this blog and is no way affiliated to Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte or Senator Antonio Trillanes IV.

This is where our P20 million went.

The whole nation alarmed this morning when the news of an anti-Duterte ad is about to air tomorrow, May 6. The information revealed that ABS-CBN will air the ad anyway for P20 million and other networks rejected that ad.

Fast forward to the first commercial break of TV Patrol, we see the anti-Duterte ad paid by the Vice Presidential Candidate Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV before our very eyes. He used innocent children on the said ad. It started with a young kid saying “ito ba ang gusto n’yo?” followed by edited clips of past speeches from the Presidential Front-runner Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte regarding his fight against criminality, swearing Pope Francis, praising the New People’s Army (NPA), kissing women, his remarks on the 1989 hostage crisis on the gang rape of the Australian missionary, and his promise of a bloody presidency, followed by a kid saying “ito po ba ang gusto ninyong maging halimbawa para sa amin?“, and the Mayor showing his dirty finger (censored for obvious reasons). The ad was paid by Sen. Antonio Trillanes and it comes just four days before the 2016 Presidential Elections here in the Philippines. The aforementioned ad is also aired on GMA 7.

My thoughts about this ad is the use of kids on a political ad. Are they forced to do this or are they paid by Trillanes for that ad alone? That ad alone is a clear violation of the Fair Elections Act since it essentially attacked Duterte since Trillanes’ so-called exposé on Duterte’s so-called hidden wealth. I think Trillanes is so desperate to avoid a Duterte presidency and avoid launching a coup against Duterte if he wins the Presidency. The desperation comes after Duterte stole the momentum away from Grace Poe in the past few weeks thanks to his strong support among the masses, as well as the middle class and the elite. Our votes are not worth P20 million, Sen. Trillanes, so please stop this attempt to lure voters away from Duterte and focus on the real problems of the Philippines, like poverty, corruption, criminality, jobs, healthcare, the sea dispute with China, and others. Please spare these young kids!

My one last plea is to vote wisely and think hard on who do you think will lead the country to a better future in the next six years.

New Season of Pokémon Premieres on Cartoon Network Philippines; Fate of Pokémon on GMA Still Uncertain

Pokémon XY: Kalos Quest, the eighteenth season of the long-running anime, will finally premiere in the Philippines starting Monday. (Photo: Bulbapedia)

Pokémon fans in the Philippines, rejoice! The eighteenth season, dubbed as ‘Pokémon XY: Kalos Quest’ will continue the adventures of Ash Ketchum and his trusted friend Pikachu, as well as his travelling companions Lumiose Gym Leader Clemont and his little sister Bonnie, as well as Serena, who once met Ash on a summer camp in Pallet Town when they were younger, and face new challenges across Kalos Region, which is inspired by France. In this season, Ash will challenge more gyms, including Clemont’s, and Serena will pursue her dream to become a Pokémon Performer and the next Kalos Queen.

As for the fate of the Pokémon franchise on GMA Network, the said network concluded the run of ‘Pokémon Black and White’ earlier this month and GMA has not released any plans to air seasons 15, 16 and 18. The said anime is now occupied by the fast-popular anime series ‘Yo-Kai Watch’.

Catch new episodes of ‘Pokémon XY: Kalos Quest’ starting Monday, 6:45pm on Cartoon Network Philippines. Cartoon Network Philippines is available on most cable providers nationwide.

Game Ng Bayan Ends Friday; I Will Survive to Replace Game Ng Bayan

‘Game Ng Bayan’ ended its run after six weeks and 28 episodes. The show is unable to beat ‘Wowowin’ throughout its run. (Photo: ABS-CBN PR)

After six weeks, ‘Game Ng Bayan’ will end its run on Friday. The show is constantly behind ‘Wowowin’ in the ratings, either from Kantar or Nielsen. Despite its favorable timeslot in Metro Manila (5:00pm), ABS-CBN Regional Network Group decided to air the said show at 9:00am (it used to air at 4:15pm when the Koreanovela ‘My Love Donna’ was aired on the said network). According to Kane Errol Choa, the Head of ABS-CBN Corporate Communications, the said show brought fun and entertainment to its loyal Kapamilyas, especially in participating barangays. According to Choa, the main host Robin Padilla will focus on his role as one of the judges of ‘Pilipinas Got Talent’, Eric Nicolas will stay as the co-host of ‘I Love OPM’, Alex Gonzaga, MJ Lastimosa and Negi will focus on other projects.

According to reports, especially from MJ Felipe, ‘We Will Survive’ will replace ‘Game Ng Bayan’ this Monday and ‘My Super D’ will premiere on the same day on ‘We Will Survive”s timeslot. Will ‘We Will Survive’ beat ‘Wowowin’? Time will tell.

Catch the series finale of ‘Game Ng Bayan’ this Friday at 5:00pm (9:00am on ABS-CBN RNG) and ‘We Will Survive’ move to its new timeslot, this Monday at 5:00pm (time TBA on ABS-CBN RNG) on ABS-CBN.

Thoughts after Pac-Bradley (in 150 words)

Manny Pacquiao ended his career on a high note, winning against Timothy Bradley and completes the Pacquiao-Bradley trilogy with 2 wins by Manny to 1 win by Bradley.

But since the fight is in the middle of the campaign period, the fight is promoted less by both GMA and Solar Sports, thanks to the Fair Elections Act.

The writer decided to watch the fight anyway, thanks to its relatives who are die-hard boxing fans. I respect the opinions of those who didn’t want to watch the fight and preferred to watch the PiliPinas Vice Presidential Debate on CNN Philippines, but with Pacquiao winning the match, mukhang may mangyayaring sisihan sa mga taong ayaw manood ng laban at marami ang talo sa pustahan sa naturang laban.

Regarding his Senatorial bid, I wish Manny Pacquiao the best of luck. Let’s see if his win over Bradley would help him win in this year’s election.