Magkasama Tayo sa Kwento ng Pasko - ABS-CBN Christmas Station ID 2013

We started with a dream. To capture reality. To capture our stars in more intimate, undirected and unguarded scenes. In our minds and our hearts, we feel that these are priceless moments, moments we don’t see every day but very heartwarming and truly inspiring to witness. We also have a theory… that kindness, despite difficulties and hardships, regardless of one’s status in life, is easily given away, especially by Filipinos. I must say that this Christmas Station ID is probably the hardest we’ve done in the past ten years. But I must say it is the most fulfilling.  Seeing the stars light up people's lives makes you appreciate stardom in a different way.  There were three reasons why this is by far the most ambitious station ID we've ever mounted.

That's me in red and blue blouse.

1. Scenes were unrehearsed.  We gunned for reality.  True emotions. Real scenes.  There were seven stories which were featured in the station ID.  And there were seven artists who gave their time and effort to ensure that there would be happy Kapamilyas by day's end.  We were very happy how this panned out.  We were in awe as to how the artists were able to connect to our Kapamilyas. And it was indeed a blessing that we were able to witness how lives were touched by random acts of kindness.  It was a different kind of experience seeing stars in a less glamorous state, yet despite this, they've shone the brightest.  For me, with their gestures, they were indeed superstars deserving of the public's admiration. Below are the seven stories and their links.

Piolo Pascual and Gemma Solomon 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrJOGFja2Ks 
Gemma Solomon is an OFW in Hong Kong who battled breast cancer.  Though she was longing for the care of her family back in Bicol, she decided to stay in Hong Kong because of the medical benefits the government provides for foreign workers like her. Like any other mother who wants to provide for her children, she fights homesickness every day, in the hope of giving them a better life. When Piolo Pascual heard about Gemma’s story, he agreed to fly to Hong Kong immediately, carrying with him a video message from her family.

Kim Chiu and Nanay Baby Cerdenas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8wznvWSmBE 
Nanay Baby of Isla Pulo has a Christmas wish -  to have an autographed picture of Kim Chiu, the actress who stayed in their humble home (which didn’t have any electricity) for an episode of the show I Dare You two years ago. Imagine her disbelief when the one who “delivered” her requested photo was Kim Chiu herself! 

John Lloyd Cruz and Gualberto Isla
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q56ptR08-T8 
Gualberto Isla Jr. is a security guard of the Star Magic office in ABS-CBN. Unfortunately, he had to be relieved of his duties due to malignant melanoma which affected his left under-eye area. One rainy afternoon, an unexpected “visitor” entered Guard Isla’s home in Rodriguez, Rizal. 

Judy Ann Santos and the women of Women's Crisis Center
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKIqPd0_ICY 
Judy Ann Santos expressed that she wants to spend time with women who were victims of violence, having portrayed an abused wife in her last teleserye Huwag ka Lang Mawawala. The women of Women’s Crisis Center were brought to Our Lady of Victory chapel in Malabon knowing that they will be interviewed about their past experiences and how they have moved on not knowing that Juday will be there waiting for them!

Enrique Gil and Cyril Perales 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSe9Lr_rkxY
Cyril Perales is a habal-habal driver in Cebu who hardly make ends meet together with his wife Evelyn to support their 7 children. Though life is tough for them, they take pride in having a happy family with simple joys. They save up for 2 months just to be able to cook spaghetti and buy bread for Christmas dinner. Having heard this story, Cebu-born actor Enrique Gil flew to Cebu, with several balikbayan boxes containing gifts for all 9 family members.

Gerald Anderson and Simplicio Yoma
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqRRZx7g6gA 
Simplicio Yoma is a war veteran living in the Bay Area in California who misses his family back home in The Philippines. One day at the Embarcadero in downtown San Francisco, Gerald Anderson came up to him, surprising him with a video message from his family. 

Sam Milby and Tatay Fermin and Nanay Dely Cruz  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcANuR8oO0Q
An avid TFC subscriber, Nanay Dely thought she was only visiting Sam Milby’s shoot in downtown San Francisco. Without her knowledge, her husband Tatay Fermin, is looking forward to fulfilling his long-time dream that day – a marriage proposal, as they celebrate their 50^th anniversary. 

2.  This is the first time we enjoined ABS-CBN bosses and employees to be in the station ID.  And they were all game.  We announced through our HR and Corp Com.  Honestly, we were scared that no one would attend.  The shoot was scheduled at 2:30 in the afternoon, not really a very good time.  People might be busy or they'd feel that it would be too hot.  But they started coming in and by the time our Chairman, Mr. Gabby Lopez, arrived, the whole center road inside the ABS-CBN compound was full to the brim.  It was packed.  And even it was a claustrophobic's nightmare to be in this crowd, people stood their ground, waited patiently and followed every instruction.  When everyone started singing, it was hair raising.  Hundreds of people in unison.  It was nightmarish (for producers like me) but it was historic.  I would always be grateful that I was on the front row seat to witness this.

3. We wanted people to participate. So we tried a submit-your-rendition-of-the-SID-song project through Kwento ng Pasko Version Natin Ito.  And although this was sidetracked by typhoon Yolanda, we were so happy that we were able to get hundreds of submissions even with just two weeks of promotion.  It was heartwarming to see people participating in this ABS-CBN tradition. This is the youtube link for the people's version of the SID - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3qdqjGFXPA

Credits:
Although it gets difficult every year, it's always a pleasure doing the station ID. And I can only be grateful that I work with creative people who are passionate about the work they do.  It balances things out.  And they make things easier and happier.

"Magkasama Tayo Sa Kwento Ng Pasko" was written by Robert Labayen, Head of ABS-CBN Creative Communications Management, music composed, arranged and produced by Bojam De Belen, Thyro Alfaro, Jeli Mateo. It was performed by The Voice coaches Sarah Geronimo, Bamboo and Lea Salonga with The Voice Philippines Grand Winner Mitoy Yonting and finalists Klarisse De Guzman, Janice Javier, Myk Perez.

The 2013 ABS-CBN Christmas Station ID was created by ABS-CBN Creative Communications Management headed by Robert Labayen, Johnny Delos Santos, Patrick de Leon and Ira Zabat. It is directed by Paolo Ramos, Peewee Azarcon-Gonzales, Johnny Delos Santos, Carmelo Saliendra.

The SID Creative and Production team members are Danie Sedilla-Cruz, Edsel Misenas. Kathrina Sanchez, Dang Baldonado, Sheryl Ramos, Love Rose De Leon, Christine Joy Laxamana, Carlota Rosales, Adrian Lim, Christine Daria-Estabillo, Christian Faustino, Mark Bravo, Shally Tablada, Jill Cabradilla, Madelle Balendo, Raywin Tome; with ABS-CBN Marketing, Cookie Bartolome, Zita Aragon, Micah Rivera; ABS-CBN TV Entertainment, ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs, ABS-CBN Regional Network Group, ABS-CBN Global ABS-CBN Human Resources Division, ABS-CBN Property Management, ABS-CBN Safety and Security

Other members are Jaime Porca, Technical Production head; Rommel Andreo Sales, Director of Photography; Nere Ku, Production Designer; Oliver Paler, Karlo Victoriano, Bridge Sulit, Danica Rueda, Maria Concepcion Ignacio, Post Production Team; Mary Ann Rejano, Remy Sotto, Talent Casters; Marvin Bragas, Location Manager; Jojo Medrano, Jen Esber, Production Coordinators.