‘Just Love Ngayong Christmas’ or ‘Buong Pusong MaGMAhalan’.
ABS-CBN and GMA officially released their 2017 Christmas station IDs earlier this month. GMA unveiled theirs last November 6, while ABS-CBN premiered their version the following week.
This year’s central theme is ‘love’, and based on the titles of the two networks’ Christmas station IDs, one can think that they stole each other’s ideas. Looking at the two videos closely, there are some similarities between them, from the gathering of the artists and news personalities to the ordinary people being visited (or accompanied) by some of the stars.
But that is where the commonalities end. In ABS-CBN’s case, they incorporated the use of social media to convey their message, adding videos and photos shared by netizens of strangers who helped one another in times of distress and hopelessness.
ABS-CBN also spread some joy to the victims of the Marawi crisis through letters and donations sent by the network’s artists. That said, based on the context alone, it is clear that ABS-CBN has the more compelling approach to their Christmas station ID.
As of November 15, GMA’s Christmas station ID racked up nearly 450,000 views on YouTube. Meanwhile, ABS-CBN’s Christmas station ID earned over 690,000 views.
Considering that ABS-CBN’s version only made its debut two days ago, the overwhelmingly quick collection of views in such a short amount of time must have made Kapuso fans jealous. And who can blame them for producing a Christmas station ID that failed to convey a meaningful message.
Last year, only ABS-CBN was able to produce a Christmas station ID as GMA opted for a series of animated shorts for their Christmas campaign. This year, GMA made a comeback by producing a Christmas station ID of their own, but after they were beaten to the punch anew by ABS-CBN, what chances will they have of making another one?
The following personalities listed here are the performers and writers behind the ABS-CBN and GMA Christmas station IDs.
Buong Pusong MaGMAhalan (a.k.a. MaGMAhalan ng Buong Puso)
Lyricists – BJ Camaya, Rexy Jolly Conopio, Jann Lopez
Composer – Len Calvo
Performers – Alden Richards, Mikee Quintos, Nar Cabico, Maricris Garcia, Aicelle Santos, Julie Anne San Jose
Just Love Ngayong Christmas
Lyricists – Lloyd Oliver Corpuz, Christian Faustino, Robert Labayen
Composer – Jimmy Antiporda
Performers – Sarah Geronimo, Gary Valenciano, Martin Nievera, Piolo Pascual, Toni Gonzaga, Ogie Alcasid, Erik Santos, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Billy Crawford, Yeng Constantino et al
From the Tube 
No surprise for Dos to practice what they preach on the theme as just last Sunday, they conducted a telethon at ASAP where I was impressed but at the same time, lamented as they usually conduct one-off after certain and significant incidents (e,g. supertyphoon or conflicts). I wish they could do it annually just like the BBC’s Children in Need (which is this Friday night Britain time, Saturday dawn Philippine time) or the late Jerry Lewis with his MDA Labor Day Telethon.
For GMA, I think they might have to wait until the Kapuso Foundation will host their annual Christmas Party for the children victims of Marawi.
If only we have our own version of Band Aid where our artists, Kapuso and Kapamilya alike, unite for a common cause. That would have been the ultimate telethon for Marawi.
But then, *shrugs*
Tribalism is somehow stronger on TV than in radio.
Blame those ‘exclusive’ clubs for that matter.
BTW, remember TV5’s ‘Everyday is Christmas Day’ back in late 2013? It almost had the same theme of giving love during Christmas. Please watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9svMYNMMjw
Too bad they don’t have one this year. They used to be just as good creating their Christmas station ID but with the entertainment and news groups virtually out of the running, they won’t be able to produce one.
Isa pa, do you also remember QTV’s Christmas plug in late 2009, entitled ‘Christmas Merry Give Around’? Tampok dito yung Christmas rehash ng jingle nila that time na ‘Love Life, Love Q’? Sarap balikan yung time na ang News TV ay sang upscale channel na puro babae ang audience. Panoorin mo to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syQ4CNls73Q
If this applies today we would’ve criticized GMA for spending too much on two Christmas station IDs. But I wonder if Studio 23, the former name of S+A, produced its own Christtmas station ID back in the day. Would you like to share some?
Please watch Studio 23’s Christmas plug in late 2010, tampok naman dito yung Christmas song ni Yeng Constantino na Pasko sa Pinas:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9G9YTLMVzt8
Even ABS was a spending machine back then but they wisely augmented that with diverging businesses. Times have changed though.
2004-2012
Ralph, I also seem to be a fusion of you and Jake Jacinto. I’ve seen most of Jake’s comments as nostalgic, and I’m doing the same way he makes comments.
Ok…