May Bukas Pa (2009 TV series)

May Bukas Pa (lit. 'There's Still Tomorrow') is a Philippine television drama broadcast by ABS-CBN. Directed by Jerome C. Pobocan, Jojo A. Saguin, and Erick C. Salud, it stars Zaijian Jaranilla, Albert Martinez, Dina Bonnevie, Tonton Gutierrez, Maja Salvador, Rayver Cruz, Dominic Ochoa, Desiree del Valle, Precious Lara Quigaman, Lito Pimentel, and Jaime Fabregas.

The series aired on the network's Primetime Bida line up and worldwide on TFC from February 2, 2009 to February 5, 2010, replacing Precious Time and Eva Fonda and was replaced by Agua Bendita, and on ABS-CBN's sister channel Jeepney TV from March 11 to December 5, 2013 as a continuation of release of its extended clean feed version from July 2012 online on TFC. It had six other contents having five specials and one station ID related to the show aired from November 4, 2009 to April 27, 2014.

Lead cast

• Zaijian Jaranilla as Santino Guillermo

Supporting cast

• Albert Martinez as Mayor Enrique D. Rodrigo/Gonzalvo Policarpio†
  • Jairus Aquino as young Enrique Rodrigo/Gonzalvo Policarpio
• Dina Bonnevie as Malena Rodriguez-Rodrigo/Policarpio†
• Precious Lara Quigaman as SPO3 (P/MCSgt.) Criselda "Sélda" Rodriguez-Sta. Maria
• Tonton Gutierrez as SPO1 (P/MSgt.) Mario Sta. Maria
• Jaime Fabregas as Fr. Anthony Ruiz
• Dominic Ochoa as Fr. José Guillermo
• Lito Pimentel as Fr. Gregorio "Ringo" Samonte
  • Rodjun Cruz as young Gregorio "Ringo" Samonte
• Maja Salvador as Stella R. Sta. Maria
• Rayver Cruz as Francisco "Cocoy" Bautista
• Desiree del Valle as Clautilde Katerina "Tilde" Magdayo-Rodrigo/Policarpio

• Love Thadani^[7] (uncredited) as Jesus Christ
• Uncredited voice actor as Satan
• Charo Santos-Concio as Mother Mary

• Victor Basa as Fr. John Delgado
• Badjie Mortiz as Fr. Paul Makopa
• David Chua as Fr. Chino "Chi" Wang
• Andre Tiangco† as Fr. George
• Ruben Gonzaga as Fr. Patrick
• Edgar Sandalo† as Fr. Jude

• Ogie Diaz as Renato "Atong" Arguelles
• Arlene Muhlach as Viviana "Baby" Arguelles
• Timothy Chan as Rico R. Rodrigo/Policarpio
• Phoebe Khae Arbotante as Joy R. Sta. Maria
• Victor Basa as Fr. John Delgado

• Francis Magundayao as Paco
• Miguelito de Guzman as Alfred
• Liza Lorena as Doña Anita Rodriguez
• Michael Conan as Dante Maoricio
• Ron Morales as Robert Sanchez/ Gustavo Policarpio
• Jerry O'Hara as Senior Superintendent Raul Guevarra
• Rosalie, Kimberly, and Jennifer as fictitious versions of themselves
• Erin Panlilio as Grace

• Pope John Paul II as Himself

The series was announced in late 2008, the same year Zaijian Jaranilla became an actor for ABS-CBN/Star Magic. The network's TV production team sought a church suitable for the series' religious-themed story. Initially titled "Marcelino," the name was later changed to its final title, May Bukas Pa, a few months after the show's announcement.

The story conference for the series took place on January 9, 2009, where the show's logo was revealed.

Taping or principal photography of the main series occurred from January 15, 2009, to February 5, 2010.^[8]

Most of the scenes were taped in San Guillermo Parish Church in Barangay Cabambangan and the Municipal Hall of Bacolor in Barangay Calibutbut, Bacolor, Pampanga. The overall production process of the series proper, including its announcement and story conference, spanned two years. Three months after it, the specials and film followed for four years from May 5, 2010 with Maalaala Mo Kaya (MMK) episode Xylophone to John Paul II and John XXIII Mga Bagong Santo: The ABS-CBN News Special Coverage and its subsequent report on TV Patrol Weekend on April 27, 2014, culmulating from the previous Sunday's Best: Banal on May 22, 2011.

In 2009, Maja Salvador took a three-month break from the show to focus on Nagsimula sa Puso. During this time, she and Precious Lara Quigaman announced that they had joined the new show Precious Hearts Romances Presents: Impostor, which premiered in 2010.

The series proper underwent two versions, with the original cut version aired on ABS-CBN from February 2, 2009 to February 5, 2010 where it did not air the deleted scene of the show's finale episode, and is the one watched by the casts during the farewell ceremony of its production at Ariato Function Centre, Il Terrazzo, Tomas Morato, Quezon City. During this version, a station identification Star ng Pasko (Tagalog for "Star of Christmas") was aired on November 4, 2009, followed by three specials which are the two-parter Bro, Ikaw ang Star ng Pasko: The 2009 ABS-CBN Christmas Special and Shoutout 2009: Wagi o Sawi? The ABS-CBN Yearend Special on December 13, 20, and 27, 2009, respectively. Parts of it was uploaded on Jeepney TV YouTube channel in 2025.^[9][10]

From May 22, 2011 to April 27, 2014, ABS-CBN aired two specials about Pope John Paul II to sainthood which are Banál (Tagalog for "holy"), during the two-year hiatus between airing of cut ABS-CBN and extended and clean feed versions, to commemorate his beatification where Zaijian Jaranilla and Jaime Fabregas reprised their roles as Santino and Father Anthony to present the life of John Paul II and significance for Filipinos and John Paul II and John XXIII Mga Bagong Santo: The ABS-CBN News Special Coverage which covered the canonization after the extended version ended cumulating from the former and the latter also reported on TV Patrol Weekend that followed the coverage.

On July 2012, after a two-year hiatus, the second extended and clean feed version was released initially online on TFC where some episodes replaced the original 2009–2010 ABS-CBN broadcast cut with those without a network logo and MTRCB rating and continued through airing on Jeepney TV, announced on February 28, 2013, from March 11 to December 5, 2013. This version was uploaded to the main ABS-CBN Entertainment channel and iWant, as well as some episodes on Jeepney TV. With this, the series became the first primetime TV series in the Philippines to span in the 2010s decade and have two versions in ABS-CBN history before the 2023–2024's Linlang (also directed by Jojo A. Saguin and Dreamscape Entertainment production) in the 2020s.^[11]

It aired two reruns of its first season. The first rerun was from April 9 to 11, 2009, during the Paschal Triduum of that year, in which the first 48 episodes were re-aired.

The second is from March 16, 2020, to May 4, 2020, temporarily replacing Ang Probinsyano due to the community quarantines caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines, which led ABS-CBN to suspend tapings of their ongoing drama series. During this period, the first 65 episodes of the series were rerun.^[12] It ended on May 5, 2020 due to the network's shutdown that night, following the expiration of its broadcast franchise the day prior.

The third rerun of the 2013 extended version on ALLTV, channel 2, formerly ABS-CBN's channel space as DWWX-TV, premiered on May 13, 2024, as part of Jeepney TV on ALLTV's programming.

Due to the show's ratings, ABS-CBN's management decided to extend the show for 20 weeks instead of the initial eight weeks.^[13] On June 23, 2009, ABS-CBN television head Cory Vidanes announced that the show production would be extended until February 2010.^[14]

In line with the show's immense popularity, various merchandise such as t-shirts, sandals, and other items were produced for children.

The theme song of the religious drama with the same title was originally performed by Rico J. Puno. The first version is sung by Kyle Balili, and the second version is sung by Erik Santos.

ABS-CBN's Christmas 2009 campaign was inspired by the show's popularity. The song is entitled "Star ng Pasko" (lit. 'Star of Christmas'). Christmas lanterns were specially created by ABS-CBN and sold to benefit ABS-CBN Foundation's charity programs. ABS-CBN launched Parol ni Bro on November 4, 2009, where an 18-foot Christmas lantern atop the ABS-CBN building was lit up by the cast of May Bukas Pa, ABS-CBN president Charo Santos-Concio, and ABS-CBN chairman and CEO Eugenio Lopez III.^[15]

May Bukas Pa currently holds the record of being the highest-rating television show on Philippine television since switching to a nationwide TV ratings system on the opening day of 2009, peaking during its finale with a 47.3% nationwide rating according to Kantar Media/TNS.^[16][17]

Within the ABS-CBN's primetime block, it was the highest for the period upon its premiere on February 2, 2009 until Mara Clara on February 3, 2011.^[18]

Entertainment columnist Nestor Torre of the Philippine Daily Inquirer said, "It must have been a big decision for the new show’s producers to get away from that downbeat view of life and come up with this Marcelino Pan Y Vino-inspired tale. But it’s great to note that the gamble has paid off in a big way: May Bukas Pa has been enjoying very good ratings, proving what we’ve been saying all this time--that viewers want to be inspired by the dramas they watch." However, he criticized the show's "religious" scenes as "poorly, shallowly staged," which he felt made genuine inspiration and devotion difficult to come by while viewing the series. He further criticized the show's use of extras, who mostly played sick people but were perceived as bad actors. He adds, "Any director worth his salt would have sensed that the montage of healing needed good actors to make it meaningful and moving. Why were inept actors used instead? Possibly because the production was scrimping on talent fees. Well, it was a penny-wise pound-foolish decision, because the important sequence was botched."^[21]

On December 29, 2009 235th episode, Mario (Tonton Gutierrez) filed for candidacy as mayor of Bagong Pag-asa. This reflected with the then-ongoing two-year 2009–2011 transition of all levels of Philippine national and local government including the cancelled Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) in 2011 that led to the officals to instead appoint officers-in-charge (OIC) of the region upon those from the 2008–2011 term ended on December 22, 2011.

The series featured the Philippine National Police (PNP), showing its hierarchy in a particular police station and situation as an officer, including Absence Without Leave (AWOL) for not doing the duties and responsibilities properly, making it an example to notably feature police scenes on a high-rating show before the long-running Coco Martin series FPJ's Ang Probinsyano and FPJ's Batang Quiapo.

It shows how Philippine politics works including involvement with the Catholic Church and people voicing about issues within their jurisdiction as mandated by the freedom of speech part of 1987 Constitution of the Philippines.

The religion have a right to speak, react, and interact with the government due to a reason mentioned before as explained by the series. Being a Catholic-focused series, it shows activities made at the church such as celebrating Mass, sharing sermons by a priest to the faithful, ordination, and sacrament of reconciliation.

The show reflected the beatification and canonization of John Paul II (with the latter also of John XXIII) as ABS-CBN made two coverages regarding them, resignation of Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis on March 13, 2013 became pope resulting from the March 11–12 conlave.

The series focuses on kindness and morality in humanity, depicting a child who believes that there's always a way to rectify mistakes, sinfulness, and imperfections, no matter how serious. He trusts that "Bro," his nickname for Jesus Christ, is loving and will always guide with light with a condition of not abusing and wasting them, and use as an opportunity to change for the better and towards salvation by asking for forgiveness and address if realized that it is wrong and considered as a sin like lying while living on a physical world as shown on the show's 196th episode aired on November 4, 2009. It teaches how to suffer physically and spiritually for better results like what Bro did during his sufferring, dying on the cross and resurrection, being generous, love for the family, and be independent on some situations. The show has had a significant impact on many Filipinos, shaping their outlook on life in a positive manner.

People also motivate more to honor the Catholic Sabbath by going to Mass at the main Sunday and extended Holy Days of Obligation, days designated to oblige to attend because the celebration in associated to them are important in the history of religion's faith, through the contents of this series.

Being having the main set in Bacolor, Pampanga, it was created to commemorate the 1991–1995 Mt. Pinatubo disaster, especially its 20th anniversary in 2011, which affected some parts of the province including the said municipality.

Another commemoration are Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng from September 24 to October 14, 2009 which led to the creation and recording of Star ng Pasko from October to November 4, 2009, University of Santo Tomas (UST) Quadricentennial Celebration from December 18, 2009 to January 17, 2012, ABS-CBN's 60th anniversary from 2013 to 2014 where an airing of the series' extended version was aired on Jeepney TV and it was featured on The Buzz, and start of usage of its 2013 logo as the network digitalized, diversifies, and modernizes its way of broadcasting and its facilities.

Maalaala Mo Kaya (MMK) episode Xylophone, aired on May 8, 2010, serves as the Mother's Day special episode in 2010 and as an extension to the main series' storyline of guesting of Ai-ai delas Alas from May to July of the previous year as she also made appearance to this episode where it is about determining the mother of a titular character played by Zaijian Jaranilla on a particular media albeit instead of Santino as the character name, he played as Charles.

The 2010–2011 Christmas Station ID Ngayong Pasko Magniningning ang Pilipino (lit. 'The Filipinos will Shine this Christmas'), with theme released on October 8, 2010, song recorded from October 8 to November 2010, and station ID aired from November 4, 2010 to January 2011, has the same tune as its predecessor 2009–2010's Bro, Ikaw ang Star ng Pasko (lit. Bro, You are the Star of Christmas) with it was first used on 2002–2003's Isang Pamilya, Isang Puso Ngayong Pasko (lit. One Family, One Heart this Christmas) and part of the former's lyrics was used near the end to reflect that the series is the highest-rating in Philippine television since the opening of Kantar TV ratings in 2009, and on ABS-CBN's primetime block for the period of February 2, 2009 to February 3, 2011. This tune was next to be used on 2017–2018's Just Love Ngayong Christmas (lit. Just Love this Christmas) six years after the 2010–2011's ID was last aired.

On April 23, 2011, the movie Pak! Pak! My Dr. Kwak! was released where it has similarities with the series which are talking to spiritual characters (Satan and God as the red on a latter and white at the former, respectively), has a mission for the character, and performing miracles to heal people.

After production of the show ended on February 5, 2010, Zaijian Jaranilla made various returns to Bacolor Church as part of his annual practice.^[22][23]

As a result of the show's success, many awards were given to the program and its cast. May Bukas Pa also received an award at the 2009 Catholic Mass Media Awards, besides its Best Drama award, presented by Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales. The award was accepted by lead star Zaijian Jaranilla and the supporting actors who portrayed priests, dressed in cassocks for the occasion.^[24] The Anak TV Seal Awards were also awarded twice, in 2009 and 2010.

• May Bukas Pa at IMDb