In the world of Philippine pop culture, television dramas, or teleseryes, wouldn’t be complete without a theme song. These songs capture the essence of the story, characters, and overall theme of the series, with some standing the test of time — sometimes even outlasting the show’s original run on television.
From original compositions to unforgettable renditions, Billboard Philippines has compiled a list of iconic Filipino teleserye theme songs that have captured the zeitgeist and remained etched in the minds of Filipinos for years to come. From the theme songs of Ang Probinsyano and Pangako Sa ‘Yo to Mulawin and On the Wings of Love, these songs amplify the impact of their teleseryes, whether playing during the opening credits or a pivotal moment in an episode.
“‘Wag Ka Nang Umiyak” – Gary Valenciano, Ang Probinsyano
Ang Probinsyano ran for over seven years across five story arcs, becoming ABS-CBN’s longest-running drama series ever. There was a time when the show, like series star Coco Martin, couldn’t be killed. As millions of viewers tuned in every night, Gary Valenciano’s cover of Sugarfree’s “‘Wag Ka Nang Umiyak” stood its ground as a certified meme, later being called the pambansang (national) theme song.
“Bitiw” – Sponge Cola, Da Adventures of Pedro Penduko
Da Adventures of Pedro Penduko paved the way for reintroducing characters from Filipino Komiks to a whole new generation. It featured Matt Evans as the titular hero taking on various mythical creatures every Saturday night on ABS-CBN. It wouldn’t be complete without its hype-inducing opening theme, “Bitiw,” from rock band Sponge Cola.
“Narda” – Kamikazee, Darna (2009)
When rock band Kamikazee released their second studio album, Maharot, they had “Narda” as the album’s single. The track, which is about a man falling in love with the Filipino Komiks superhero Darna, was inspired by the 2005 GMA Network primetime series Darna starring Angel Locsin. It was later used in the 2009 series adaptation starring Marian Rivera. To this day, it remains the band’s most popular song.
“Maging Sino Ka Man” – Martin Nievera, Juan Dela Cruz
Coco Martin may be busy directing and starring in episodes of Batang Quiapo, but we can’t forget where he first became a protector of the innocent and achieved indestructible status. “Maging Sino Ka Man” by Martin Nievera served as the opening theme of Juan dela Cruz, which saw the bankable star as a tagabantay (protector) wiping aswangs off the Earth.
“Makita Kang Muli” – Sugarfree, Panday (2005)
Rock band Sugarfree’s “Makita Kang Muli” was written and produced for the 2005 Panday television series, which served as its ending theme. It was also used as the soundtrack to the love story of Tristan and Eden, played by Jericho Rosales and Heart Evangelista, respectively. The song, alongside “Hari ng Sablay,” brought the band further into the mainstream.
“Ikaw Nga” – South Border, Mulawin
The 2004 GMA primetime series Mulawin saw the first-time pairing of the former love team of Richard Gutierrez and Angel Locsin, with South Border’s “Ikaw Nga” serving as its closing theme. It is known to be the pivotal fantaserye (fantasy series) that defined a generation in the 2000s. The success of this series led to a full-length film, the spin-offs Encantadia and Iglot, and the sequel series Mulawin vs. Ravena.
“Nag-Iisang Bituin” – Angeline Quinto, Princess and I
The early-to-mid-2010s saw a new generation of loveteams take center stage and drive the status quo of the Philippine primetime scene. After 2011’s teen sitcom Growing Up, KathNiel (Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla) loveteam blossomed in their first teleserye, Princess and I, with an opening theme, “Nag-Iisang Bituin,” sung by Angeline Quinto and Christian Bautista.
“On The Wings Of Love” – Kyla, On The Wings Of Love
On the Wings of Love or OTWOL marked the first time the JaDine (James Reid and Nadine Lustre) love team took the leading roles, as exclusive contract stars for ABS-CBN. Shortly after, it became a beloved romantic-comedy series that featured Kyla’s pop rendition of “On the Wings of Love” as the opening theme.
“Forevermore” – Juris, Forevermore
The holy trinity of ABS-CBN love teams wouldn’t be complete without LizQuen (Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil). The pair starred in Forevermore, their first breakout project, with the city of Baguio as one of its locations. Juris’ rendition of Side A’s “Forevermore” served as its opening theme.
“Pangako” – Vina Morales, Pangako Sa’Yo (2015)
The 2015 Pangako Sa ‘Yo remake starring KathNiel didn’t have to look away in choosing its opening theme. The Vina Morales version of “Pangako,” written by OPM icon Rey Valera, was used for the original 2000 series starring Jericho Rosales and Kristine Hermosa and its 2015 remake.
“Please Be Careful With My Heart” – Richard Yap, Jodi Sta. Maria, Be Careful With My Heart
Be Careful with My Heart saw Sir Chief (Richard Yap) and Maya (Jodi Sta. Maria) dominating the morning audience viewership throughout its 618 episodes from 2012 to 2014. The unexpected breakout pairing made it the longest-running morning drama series in the Philippines. The duet of Yap and Sta. Maria for “Please Be Careful With My Heart,” its opening theme, bolstered the series’ iconic status.
“Hanggang Sa Dulo Ng Walang Hanggan” – Gary Valenciano, Walang Hanggan
Walang Hanggan was the first ABS-CBN primetime series to dominate its timeslot throughout its run. Audiences got a glimpse of the first-time pairing of Coco Martin and Julia Montes and the reunion of the CharDawn (Richard Gomez and Dawn Zulueta) loveteam, who starred in Hihintayin Ka Sa Langit, the 1991 Philippine film this series is based on. “Hanggang sa Dulo ng Walang Hanggan” sung by Gary Valenciano captured the melodramatic nature of the series.
“Got to Believe in Magic” – Juris, Got to Believe
In Got To Believe, KathNiel fans fell in love with Kathryn Bernardo’s Chichay / Care Bear and Daniel Padilla’s Wacky Boy / Joaquin, under the direction of Cathy Garcia-Sampana in their first collaboration for television. Juris’ dreamy rendition of “Got to Believe in Magic” further highlighted the kilig moments and “magic” between the loveteam and the series overall.
“May Bukas Pa” – Kyle Balili, May Bukas Pa (2009)
When May Bukas Pa aired weeknights after TV Patrol in 2009, it made “Santino” and “Bro” household names. It was a success with its religious themes and Zaijian Jaranilla’s breakout performance. With a total of 263 episodes, a star-studded finale, and an opening theme first sung by Kyle Balili, later featuring Erik Santos, it left a lasting impact.
“Malayo Pa Ang Umaga” – Vina Morales, Agua Bendita
Aside from Zaijan Jaranilla, another child star broke out during the late 2000s and early 2010s. In Agua Bendita, Xyriel Manabat played the young versions of Agua Cristi and Bendita Cristi in a dual role, later played by Andi Eigenmann. From its fantastical elements, being adapted from the komiks published by Liwayway Comics, the series also featured an emotional opening theme, “Malayo Pa Ang Umaga,” performed by Aria Clemente and Vina Morales, and originally written and composed by OPM legend Rey Valera.
“Zaido” – Sandwich, Zaido: Pulis Pangkalawakan
They don’t make shows like this anymore. Zaido: Pulis Pangkalawakan, the Filipino spin-off of the Japanese Metal Hero Series’ Space Sheriff Shaider, is clearly a product of its time. The visual effects may not hold up in today’s standards. But the banger opening theme, “Zaido,” from the rock band Sandwich, surely may have added to the series’ potential rise to cult status.