May Bukas Pa () 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.
Episodes, chapters, and series and movie synopsis
Cast and characters
Main cast
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
Spiritual characters Love Thadani (uncredited) as Jesus Christ Uncredited voice actor as Satan Charo Santos-Concio as Mother Mary
The Priests 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
Recurring cast 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
Additional cast 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
Special participation and appearance Pope John Paul II† as Himself
Guest cast
Production 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.
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.
Casting 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.
Broadcast and release 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.
On May 22, 2011, ABS-CBN aired one special about Pope John Paul II in reference to the series which is Banál (Tagalog for "holy"), during the two-year hiatus between airing of cut ABS-CBN and extended 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.
In July 2012, after a two-year hiatus, the second extended 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.
Reruns 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. 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.
Extension Due to the show's ratings, ABS-CBN's management decided to extend the show for 20 weeks instead of the initial eight weeks."May Bukas Pa" extended due to high ratings" by Noypitayo.com 15 February 2009. On June 23, 2009, ABS-CBN television head Cory Vidanes announced that the show production would be extended until February 2010.
Marketing In line with the show's immense popularity, various merchandise such as t-shirts, sandals, and other items were produced for children.
Music Theme song 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.
Soundtrack
ABS-CBN Christmas ID
ABS-CBN's Christmas 2009 campaign was inspired by the show's popularity. The song is entitled "Star ng Pasko" (). 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.
Ratings 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.
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.
Criticism 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.""'May Bukas Pa,' plus and minus" by Nestor Torre, 16 March 2009.
Reception Political On December 29, 2009, 235th episode, Mario (Tonton Gutierrez) filed for candidacy as mayor of Bagong Pag-asa. This reflected the then-ongoing two-year 2009–2011 transition of all levels of Philippine national and local governments including the cancelled Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) in 2011 that led to officials instead appointing officers-in-charge (OIC) for the region for the 2008–2011 term which ended 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.
Religious 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 of Pope John Paul II, resignation of Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis on March 13, 2013, became pope resulting from the March 11–12 conlave.
Values 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 suffering, 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.