"Family Is Forever:" Kapamilya Stars Share Their Fondest Christmas Memories With Their Fans

We’re definitely feeling the holiday spirit as this year’s ABS-CBN Christmas station ID is finally here. 

ABS-CBN's Christmas campaign for 2019 is dubbed as “Family is Forever,” so the station ID highlights the act of love that extends not only to our nearest and dearest, but also to our entire community and fellow Filipinos in different parts of the world. This marks the 10th anniversary of the iconic station ID, as well as the 65th anniversary of ABS-CBN in being of service to the Filipino people. 

The campaign's message speaks volumes about healing through faith; overcoming challenges and transforming in the process; bringing peace; and unifying and strengthening Kapamilyas in order to endure hardships.    

The video, which is almost 13 minutes long, features inspiring stories of Kapamilyas who have been part of the past Christmas station IDs and whose lives have been touched and transformed by ABS-CBN in one way or another. During the shoot, they were joined by Kapamilya stars and ABS-CBN employees.

Kapamilya stars such as Piolo Pascual, Regine Velasquez-Alcasid, Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo, Coco Martin, Sarah Geronimo, Vice Ganda, Bea Alonzo, Kim Chiu, Maja Salvador, Nadine Lustre, Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla (KathNiel), Maymay Entrata and Edward Barber (MayWard), Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil (LizQuen), and more came together to celebrate the season of giving as one family. 

This year's song features a heartwarming and nostalgic medley of its past holiday theme songs: “Bro, Ikaw ang Star ng Pasko” (2009), followed by “Ngayong Pasko Magniningning ang Pilipino” (2010), “Da Best ang Pasko ng Pilipino” (2011), “Lumiliwanag ang Mundo sa Kwento ng Pasko” (2012), “Magkasama Tayo sa Kwento ng Pasko” (2013), “Thank You Ang Babait Ninyo” (2014), “Thank You For The Love” (2015), “Isang Pamilya Tayo Ngayong Pasko” (2016), “Just Love Ngayong Christmas” (2017), and “Family is Love” (2018).

"Family is Love" is created by ABS-CBN Creative Communications Management Division headed by Robert Labayen, Johnny De Los Santos and Patrick de Leon, and COO for Broadcast Cory Vidanes. It is performed by The Voice coaches Sarah Geronimo, Bamboo, and Lea Salonga with The Voice Kids Vanjoss, Carmelie, Cyd, Angel, Rhadni, Alexa, and Gaea. The words are by Robert G. Labayen, Lloyd Oliver Corpuz, and Thyro Alfaro, with music by the latter two. The Christmas station ID is directed by Paolo Ramos with second unit directors Lorenz Roi Morales and Peewee Azarcon Gonzales.  

The Kapamilya stars consider their fans as family; aligned with the Christmas station ID's theme, Metro.Style asked some of the celebrities present during the shoot to share their fondest Christmas memories with their beloved fans. From get-togethers to holiday volunteer work, bonding moments with their supporters are deeply cherished—especially done together in the spirit of Christmas.

Piolo Pascual

“My fondest Christmas memory with my fans is whenever I actually do outreach programs. This is not just for Christmas, but also for my birthday. They join me, they come, and they also share their time. I appreciate that.”

Toni Gonzaga-Soriano

“Kapag nagpapa-Christmas party kami, it’s one way of us giving back to them for the unwavering support na pinapakita nila sa amin and for the love that we always get from them.”

Alex Gonzaga 

“Every Christmas, binabati nila ako, nagse-celebrate sila with me." 

Dimples Romana

“They would always throw parties for everybody and then we would do giving back together. 'Yun 'yung pinakamasaya sa akin.”

Kim Chiu and Xian Lim

“Usually, nagkikita-kita kasi kami eh. Especially 'pag Pasko. And sometimes, they get to visit us kapag mayroong oras or sometimes sa set. Basically, 'yung bonding moments na ganu'n are very special.”

Karylle

“Every Christmas, I do charity work for Child Haus. It’s been an ongoing tradition for more than 10 years; we usually do it on November or early December. We do Timezone day with the kids, and I’m so fortunate to have such loving fans because they do volunteer with me. I don’t really do fans day, so I’m happy that they’re that kind of people."

Gary Valenciano

“I would say that the fondest was the concert that I had in Evia Lifestyle Center a few years ago, and it was my first time to really perform almost a full concert in any mall right before Christmas. And that, for me, it meant a lot. Somehow, I guess because of all my experiences throughout the years, people tend to listen more to what I say, and then I put it in the spirit of Christmas. It was a magnificent time with people. Like the mall knew exactly what they're in for, they knew what they wanted, I knew what I wanted. It was a great collaboration. And then, of course, the fans. When I do something before Christmas and if it’s for fans in general, I look forward to things like that.”

Francine Diaz

“Kapag nami-meet ko ‘yung iba kong fans, like last year, nag-meet and greet kami. Ang saya lang kasi Christmas siya and nagbigayan kami."

Jessy Mendiola

“My fans and I always celebrate Christmas together. Mayroon kaming get-together. We give simple gifts to each other, parang bunutan. We’ve done that for, I think, mga three years na."

Gerald Anderson

“We do charities. Kahit sila, they’re very supportive lalo na sa ibang charities na ginagawa ko ‘pag Pasko. It’s just the season of giving eh. ‘Yung mga closest sa heart ko, ‘yung school kung saan ako nag-aral bago ko ginawa 'yung Budoy, mga special children, at iba’t-ibang sitwasyon, cancer warriors, and ‘yung mga nasasalanta sa calamities.”

Joshua Garcia

“Charity ‘yung ginagawa namin every birthday and Christmas. Usually, mga bata and ‘yung mga matatanda ‘yung tinutulungan namin. Ako kasi, mahilig ako sa bata. Tapos importante rin sa akin ‘yung matatanda kasi nakikita ko rin ‘yung lola ko sa kanila.”

Ryza Cenon

“December din kasi ‘yung birthday ko, so every time na nagse-celebrate ako ng birthday ko, nagcha-charity kami. Gusto ko involved din sila para maramdaman din nila kung ano ‘yung nararamdaman ko kapag tumutulong ako sa ibang tao. Namimili kami, like ngayong year na ito, sa mga elderly. So magbibigay kami ng gifts tapos papakainin namin sila tapos medyo konting show. Minsan kids naman. Sa kids and elderly talaga ako laging nagfo-focus."

Nadine Lustre

“We would go to the orphanage tapos magdo-donate kami and we spend time with the kids. Before, it’s always kids, but ngayon kasi, I want to visit din sa mga animal shelter. That’s what I want to do this year.”

Elisse Joson

“Usually, kapag mayroong chance and may time, nagkakaroon kami ng Christmas get-together na parang thank you for being there for me every step of the way. Ang ginagawa ko rin, for charity, every January, after Christmas, mayroong sinimulan ‘yung lola ko nu'ng bata palang ako, ‘yung family namin, nagse-celebrate ng Pista ng Sto. Nino so it’s with the kids. We have a place that we always go to. Kahit wala na ‘yung lolo’t lola ko, we still try to do it."

Maymay Entrata

“Mayroon kaming charities and foundation. Basta we make sure na maging blessing kami sa ibang tao.”

Edward Barber

“It was a Christmas shoot for the station ID a few years ago. Doon kami nag-shoot with a dirty ice cream vendor, and then maraming pumunta and we were just getting ice cream and it was fun and there were just a lot of people watching as well. Everyone is in the Christmas spirit.”

Pokwang

“Kapag mayroon akong pa-Christmas giveaways, ‘yun ‘yung the best, na talaga namang nagpa-participate sila."

Maris Racal

“It’s my first-ever Christmas sa showbiz. Ang dami nilang Christmas greetings, as in ang dami talaga. And they gave me gifts.”

Kira Balinger

“When we had a Christmas get-together last year”

Yassi Pressman

“Every Christmas, sinusubukan talaga naming mag-charities. We do that twice a year, for my birthday and Christmas. Every year, mayroon kaming pinipiling foundations to help out. There’s CRIBS, then Save the Children. We work also with a school that was helping cancer patients. Mayroon din kaming feeding program minsan, so iba-iba siya every time.”

Carlo Aquino

"For the past two or three years, every Christmas, nag-o-outreach program kami sa NGOs, orphanages, tapos may maikling program. Nagpe-perform kami, tapos ‘yung kabataan din, nagpe-perform for us. Nagpa-plano na rin kami for this year, naghahanap na lang kami ng schedule."

Here are more photos from ABS-CBN's "Family is Forever" Christmas station ID shoot:

Interviews by Mariel Abanes and Brooke Villanueva

Photos by Giancarlo Escamillas