Filipino series, also known as teleseryes, have always been part of our culture. Filipino families would often watch teleseryes on their television together during lunchtime, in the afternoon or even at night. Teleseryes before would air on a daily basis while now, local streaming services such as iWant TFC are adapting the weekly releases of episodes similar to Disney Plus and HBO Max.
For Buwan ng Wika, I have compiled a list of the top 10 Filipino series that you should definitely add to your watchlist.
1. Ang Probinsyano (Brothers)
Ang Probinsyano, internationally known as Brothers, is one of the longest-running series in the Philippines. It is based on the Fernando Poe Jr. film of the same name. The series stars the King of Philippine Television, Coco Martin. The gist of the series is when Ador is murdered, Cardo takes on his identity. From there, Cardo takes on a lot of missions. The aim of the series is to give importance and gratitude to the police. The series is very timely as it depicts real-life situations and problems of every Filipino individual and household and our country as a whole.
2. He's Into Her
He’s Into Her stars Philippines’ hottest new loveteam, Donny Pangilinan and Belle Mariano (DonBelle) featuring other young artists. For the first season of the series, Maxpein moves to Manila to live with her dad and his family. She attends Benison International where she sees Deib again. Deib bullies Max, and Max is treated unfairly by her other schoolmates. The more Deib and Max fight, the more Deib falls for Max. In order for their relationship to work, they must reject the status quo and fight the ghosts of their past together. The second season will start filming in the last quarter of 2021, eyeing a 2022 premiere.
3. On the Wings of Love
On the Wings of Love, also known as OTWOL, is James Reid and Nadine Lustre’s (JaDine) first-ever teleserye as a loveteam. The series is filmed in various locations in the Philippines and San Francisco, California. Leah lives out her American Dream in San Francisco to be able to provide for her family while Clark, a US citizen, perseveres and makes a lot of sacrifices in order to give his siblings in the Philippines a good life. Unfortunately, Leah’s tourist visa is set to expire which means she needs to go home to avoid being deported. When their paths cross, Leah and Clark make an arrangement and marry each other in order for Leah to get her green card and for Clark to earn a huge amount of money.
4. Forevermore
Similar to JaDine, Forevermore is Enrique Gil and Liza Soberano’s (LizQuen) first teleserye ever. The series mostly takes place in Sitio La Presa and Baguio City in Benguet. Xander is a rebellious rich kid while Agnes is a very hardworking daughter of a farmer. Their paths cross when they both get involved in an accident. Because of this, Xander gets tasked by his family to immerse himself in the farm of Agnes’ family. At first, they have a cat and dog relationship, but they would eventually fall in love. A lot of challenges would hinder their journey to forever such as the re-emergence of Xander’s first love and the difference in their status.
5. Got to Believe
Got to Believe is a tale of unexpected love between Daniel Padilla’s character named Joaquin and Kathryn Bernardo’s character named Chichay. Joaquin is comfortable and rich while Chichay is simple and optimistic. Joaquin got involved in an accident at a very young age which makes his mom overprotective of him and makes him very difficult to handle. Things change until Chichay lights up Joaquin’s world. They fall in love with each other, but when the truth about the accident comes out, things get complicated for both of them.
6. Be Careful With My Heart
Be Careful With My Heart is where the iconic “Ser Chief” comes from. The daytime drama series stars Jodi Sta. Maria as Maya dela Rosa and Richard Yap as Richard Lim. Maya, a simple barrio girl, gets hired by rich businessman, Richard to be the maid in charge of taking care of his youngest daughter. Maya becomes fond of Ser Chief and starts to fall for him. With the desire to pursue her dreams, Maya also continues to study in order to become a flight attendant. What’s great about Maya and Ser Chief’s relationship is that they really start from the beginning and their relationship isn’t rushed. They discover more about each other in each episode, and they grow as a couple.
7. The Killer Bride
The revenge drama, The Killer Bride, stars Maja Salvador as Camila dela Torre and Janella Salvador as Emma. Camila, an heiress, was framed for a crime she didn’t commit. She dies in a prison fire promising revenge on the people who wronged her. Several years later, Emma arrives in the town of Las Espadas. She claims that she is possessed by the spirit of Camila dela Torre. Everyone in Las Espadas becomes anxious for Camila’s promise of revenge has begun its fulfillment.
8. Ngayon at Kailanman (Now and Forever)
Ngayon at Kailanman is a story about Eva (Julia Barretto) and Inno (Joshua Garcia). Eva is a long-lost descendant of the Cortes family and owner of Nostalgia. When she was a kid, she gets involved in a boat accident. In another dimension, she sees Inno as a kid. After many years, Eva struggles to make ends meet while Inno is a successor in their family business. The two individuals cross paths in the real world. Their love blooms as Eva’s identity starts to slowly unravel.
9. Pure Love
Pure Love is the Filipino reboot of the K-Drama entitled, “49 Days.” We meet Dianne (Alex Gonzaga) who lives a perfect life and Ysabel (Yen Santos) who lives a not-so-perfect life. One day, when Ysabel attempts to commit suicide, Dianne’s car crashes. Dianne wakes up, but she sees her physical body in a coma. As a wandering soul, she has 49 days to complete her task which requires her to possess Ysabel’s body. Once she accomplishes her task, she will be able to go back to her body and resume her normal life.
10. Born For You
Born For You stars Elmo Magalona as Kevin, a popular singer in the Philippines and Janella Salvador as Sam, a simple girl who lives in Japan. The two are connected by their love for music and the “red string of fate.” As their connections become stronger, a secret is revealed which will test the durability of their red string.
To be honest, more shows that are worth watching and worth talking about could’ve made it into the list. Have you watched any of the series mentioned? If not, this is a sign for you to add the titles to your watchlist. Whether you’re watching alone or with your family, remember to sit back, relax and enjoy! Let me know what your favorite teleseryes are and what you are looking forward to.