Back in 2014, I went on a rant on WordPress about the PMPC Star Awards for TV, frustrated by what felt like blatant favoritism toward ABS-CBN.
Year after year, if the Kapamilya network had nominations, it seemed like a guaranteed win, leaving fans of other networks questioning the credibility of the awards. It’s not that they didn’t produce great shows, but the perceived bias was hard to ignore.
The PMPC, composed of tabloid reporters and entertainment press, should theoretically be neutral. But it felt like a local version of the Emmys, except with favoritism that was a little too obvious.
Fast forward to early 2020, right before the pandemic flipped the world (and the industry) upside down, and the PMPC publicly supported ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal. We all know how that ended—outright rejection, thanks to the former president’s ego trip. (Speaking of that former president. He's now in the Netherlands facing an ICC trial.)
This deliberate turn amidst the unpredictable world left Kapuso fans hoping that the Star Awards would start shifting its favor toward GMA and GTV. Others just wanted PMPC to finally be fair and recognize networks based on quality, not affiliations. Or for some, total abolition.
A Quick Recap
Launched in 1987, the PMPC Star Awards for TV honors outstanding programs and individuals. Notably, a show winning a category doesn’t guarantee its hosts win, keeping things unpredictable.
The Hall of Fame rule states that if a show or personality wins the same category 15 times, they are retired from future nominations, achieving legendary status.
Oh, and of course, there’s the Best TV Station award—but we’ll get to that in a bit.
Interesting Nominations
This year’s (38th) Star Awards for TV is happening on March 23rd. Well, technically, it’s only the 36th edition, since they were on hold during the pandemic and, of course, the drama surrounding the shutdown of their favorite broadcaster.
They will award 50 winners (excluding the Best TV Station): 20 from the programs and 30 from the personalities.
A few notable standouts from this year’s nominee list (excluding special awards):
- I-Witness (GMA) is entering the Hall of Fame, but its presenters are still up for individual awards for Best Documentary Program Host.
- IBC, despite being a low-profile network, scored seven nominations (excluding Best TV Station). Some believe that PMPC Vice President Fernan "Ms. F" de Guzman—who happens to co-host E.P.A.L. (Eto Pala Ang Latest) on IBC’s revived AM station DWAN 1206—had a hand in this unexpected recognition.
- Bilyonaryo News Channel (BNC), a newcomer in the broadcast scene, managed to grab 11 nominations—an impressive feat for a fresh player.
- Entertainment and politics collide: Several nominees are also running for office this election season:
- Senatorial candidates (already campaigning): Pia Cayetano, Imee Marcos, and Willie Revillame
- Local candidates (campaign starts March 28): Luis Manzano (Batangas Vice Governor), Ara Mina (Pasig City Councilor), and Sam Verzosa (Manila Mayor)
Some notable TV5 programs didn’t make the cut. Despite "Lumuhod Ka Sa Lupa" moving to primetime, it was ignored because it started as a daytime drama. Other snubs include "Budol Alert" and "Gus Abelgas Forensics"—which is odd, considering how crime and investigative shows usually get attention.
Assured Ws, by Entity
Certain categories seem like a done deal:
- ALLTV, despite being ridiculed, is expected to win Best Showbiz-Oriented Talk Show Host. The question is which Marites University host will take it, now that Boy Abunda (though now a Kapuso) is out after his Hall of Fame induction.
- GMA is poised to sweep the following:
- Best Single Performance by an Actor
- Best Single Performance by an Actress
- Best Talent Search Program Host
- Best Musical Variety Show & Host is expected to be a battle between NET25 and INC TV (Team Templo Central).
The Problem with the "Best TV Station"
And now, let’s talk about the elephant in the room.
For years, the Best TV Station Award has been a two-horse race between ABS-CBN and GMA, fueling the endless network war culture—something that blogger DryedMangoez has pointed out numerous times.
With ABS-CBN out, GMA has essentially been the automatic winner, being the biggest free-to-air generalist channel with complete in-house production capabilities. The result? Predictable and, honestly, a bit boring.
To shake things up, PMPC desperately expanded the category this year to include all qualified digital TV channels available in Mega Manila (except Solar and RJ).
Sounds fair, right? But let’s be real—GMA is still the one to beat.
TV5 has been improving, but their inconsistent programming schedule (especially this time) might hold them back.
Some argue that this category should be scrapped altogether since it only fuels online fan wars. But would that stop decades of network-loyal fandoms from fighting in comment sections and on social media handles?
And if you look at international award bodies like the Asian Television Awards, do they even have a Best TV Station category? Probably not.
One Last Thought...
The Star Awards for TV is happening in 10 days, produced by Airtime Marketing Philippines, Inc. If you remember the pre-2020 era, the awards show and the production company used to air on a delayed telecast via ABS-CBN’s Sunday’s Best.
But now? No official broadcaster. But then, if there is, there would be differing treatment per network.
This makes you wonder: Shouldn’t PMPC at least livestream the event on YouTube or Facebook? With smartphones and social media everywhere, it feels outdated not to have an official stream.
Even JAMSAP, the last group that produced the Star Awards for the platform two years ago, had a livestream. So, if even they managed to do it, what’s stopping PMPC from following suit?
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