My friend Florenz lives with her family in a crowded village in the heart of Davao City. In the village, each house is neither far away from, nor too close to the others, but the district is really overcrowded. What do people talk about? Telenovelas. Florenz’s neighbors regularly watch telenovelas and tell her how interesting these shows are.

She is uncertain why many people are addicted to telenovelas. So when she got the chance, she discussed this with me, over a cup of coffee one evening.

Telenovela

Telenovelas came from Latin America. These Latin soap operas, usually from Brazil, Argentina and even Mexico, reached the Orient and gained popularity, especially in the Philippines. Typically, the story revolves around a hero who undergoes many sufferings and hardships.

A telenovela commonly depicts somebody in a rags-to-riches situation or a romantic story between two lovers whose families are trying to separate them. A combination of these plots is often used too.

Watching telenovelas has become a part of the daily routine of almost all Filipino families. People of different ages and gender enjoy soap operas. Many people come home early from work or from school just to be able to watch their favorite telenovela either on primetime or non-primetime. Filipinos seem to be really inspired and to love these foreign telenovelas. Seventeen years ago, Mexican telenovelas were among the first foreign soap operas that were popularized like Mari Mar though there had been Filipino telenovelas much earlier like Anna Liza, Flor de Luna, Aguila etc.. There are even now Filipino telenovelas whose actors and actresses, settings, and stories are Filipino; but, these telenovelas have nearly the same storyline, which make them similar to Latin American stories. These include Mara Clara and Mula sa Puso. The difference is, the Filipino telenovelas are quite slow concluding their stories unlike Latin American ones which are faster phased.

The Evolution

In conventional soaps, what happened next was foreseeable and didn’t come as a surprise, but they gradually evolved into something unpredictable. And if some classics are too serious and tearjerkers, telenovelas that follow them are comic. Most of these humorous soaps are Asian.They are to the taste of many Filipinos. This is why about a decade ago, Asianovelas— as they are called—from Taiwan, Korea and Japan received a very warm welcome in our country. Although Asianovelas are about the same “tubig at langis” (water and oil) stories, which are sentimental, they include many funny scenes. Some of these are Meteor Garden, Hanna Kimi, Lovers in Paris, Princess Hours, etc.

Both Latin and Asian telenovelas on TV co-exist today, even as they vie with Filipino telenovelas. Stories of local telenovelas have changed recently with fantasy and legends making the shows more entertaining. Marina, Diosa, Gagambino, Darna and Ang Panday are among the telenovelas of this genre.

Makers of Filipino telenovelas also add twists into the storyline, that turn the typical telenovelas into unconventional ones.

Several popular telenovelas are based on real experiences. Viewers can fully relate to them. Filipinos, in the first place just love it when the story is relevant to them, especially when it is about challenges similar to those they experience in real life and can identify with. All About Eve, for instance, is a story of womanhood and shows the different experiences of women. May Bukas Pa’s storyline on the other hand is about love and devotion to God, which inspires believers faithful to their religion. Tanging Yaman’s storyline revolves around the twist in the characters’ family and their political lives. Another story Filipinos can relate to is the Habang May Buhay, which is about a nurse who searches for truth and healing.

Unlike the early shows where the antagonist usually doesn’t have the chance to ask for forgiveness because he/she dies, unintentionally (like in an accident) or intentionally (as when they are killed), telenovelas today tell a story of forgiveness and reconciliation which, I believe, can positively influence a wider audience. Tayong Dalawa is an example of this.

Viewers, young and old alike, in fact, can and do imitate the characters they see on TV; and the continuous quality shows like those above mentioned will surely help them and influence their character.

On Criticism

Some critics dislike telenovelas. They often argue that telenovelas don’t contribute to people’s well being, because they depict violence and hatred. This may be true in the sense that violence is a part of the story, but defenders of telenovelas say that this is just a mere reflection of our present society, from which we cannot truly escape. Violence, anyway, is not really emphasized as the main element of the story. Telenovelas underline the success of the protagonist after having gone through sufferings and difficulties of kinds; and violence and hatred are just a minor part of the main character’s experience.

True, violence is repeatedly shown in soap operas, but it is still a major responsibility to guide young televiewers—who are the most vulnerable ones— not to be unduly influenced by the undesirable traits and values telenovelas show. While it is an adult’s responsibility to guide the young, telenovelas’ producers should also incorporate values to their story and highlight the success of the main character in the soap.

Why Telenovela?

For some Filipino viewers I talked with, watching telenovelas helps alleviate boredom. It is indeed their favorite way to relax and enjoy. Millions of Filipinos are on the poverty threshold or below it. They seldom or never go to theme parks and movie theaters, nor travel, or engage in other recreation and adventures; hence, they retreat to their living room, settle down, turn the TV on, and watch telenovelas. This, for them, is the most economical way to enjoy life—an affordable entertainment.

In a nutshell, most Filipinos follow telenovelas, because people, and especially Filipinos can identify with the characters.

We find it necessary to watch them and feel challenged by what’s presented in these shows. We love these shows, because we easily empathize with the characters, whether they are real or not. And as we regularly watch telenovelas, we get to enjoy it with our families, and bond with them. Also, telenovelas help us forget our exasperation and daily problems—a way to overcome the unpleasant realities of life, even for just an hour of the day! I just hope that the telenovelas will not detract from, nor replace, good family relationships for we might end up empathizing with characters on TV, and forgetting that the real “drama” is just happening right next to us, in the people closest to us who long for our sympathy and understanding.

Mark Gil C. Dao