“With ‘Amaya’ and ‘Munting Heredera’, we’ve proven that we can do original dramas that will be topraters so you’ll notice all our new shows are all originals,” says Atty. Gozon. “No remakes of old films or Koreanovelas for which we even have to pay very expensive license fees or rights. Then we end up just buying the titles as we make our own stories since the worth of the program is not in the title but really in the story.”
Is it true Manny Pangilinan is buying GMA-7? “If someone would offer P500 billion, okay, kahit ngayon, I’ll give it. But below that, no,” he laughs. “As Ray Espinosa of TV5 says, that’s a very wild rumor.” Are they scared of TV5? “If they’re not scared of us, why should we be scared of them? When we started with GMA in 2000, we were nothing, but in 2003, we were able to beat ABS-CBN in the ratings by gaining the confidence of the viewers, without pirating anyone dahil wala naman kaming pera for pirating.”
Is Iza Calzado transferring to TV5? “Her contract with us expired and we’re still on the renegotiation stage, so I can’t tell you anything yet as it takes two to tango.”
How about Carla Abellana? “Her contract is also expiring but I think she’ll stay with us. Home-grown talent namin siya, we built her up, so we’ll have a new show for her.”
And Carmina Villaroel? It’s Wilma who answered: “It’s her decision to move after her contract with us expired on Dec. 31. But she’s still in ‘Pepito Manaloto’.”
What are their plans for Rhian Ramos? “Kami ba dapat mag-plan for her?” says Atty. Gozon. “Di ba siya dapat mag-plan for herself kasi personal at mabigat ang pinagdaraanan niya. But she’s always welcome anytime she wants to return to the network. As of now, she’s still doing the movie ‘My Kontrabida Girl’ with Aljur Abrenica.”
How come Richard Gutierrez is not in their roster of new shows? “Because he’s still hosting ‘Survivor Philippines’ until February. But we’re now preparing a new show for him for the second quarter.”
When it comes to movies, ABS-CBN’s Star Cinema is more prolific than them. “I have to admit that mas magaling sila when it comes to making movies so dahan-dahan muna kami, but our time will come. I told my daughter (Annette Gozon-Abrogar) that our goal should be to have one new movie each month.”
How come ABS has more leading men than them? “Did you say MEN?” Atty. Gozon quipped, making the writers present laugh.
“As of now, we have Dingdong Dantes, Richard Gutierrez, Dennis Trillo, Geoff Eigenmann and Aljur Abrenica,” Wilma says. “We’re now also all out in developing the Tween actors to give them more exposure and help them become more marketable.”
Are they happy with the transfer for Claudine Barretto to GMA-7? Nobody answered.
