GMA commissioned six of the total 16 formats on air/greenlit in 2019, giving it a share of 37.5% of the country’s formats market. The network was also behind the only scripted format in the Philippines for the year – a local version of Korean hit, Descendants of the Sun.  

In all, the Philippines was two titles up last year than in 2018, taking just over 5% of the region’s total 312 formats in 2019 (down from 337 formats in 2018). 

GMA’s participation in the world of adaptations soared though, from two (Lipsync Battle season three, which ran from April to July 2018, and Boom! Philippines, which ran from September 2018 to April 2019).  

Descendants of the Sun Philippines, part of GMA’s 70th anniversary slate, premiered in the prime time 8.35pm slot on 10 Feb and was initially scheduled to run to 29 May 2020. Production was suspended after episode 28 on 18 March amidst efforts to curb Covid-19 spread. New dates have not been set. About 65 episodes have been planned, stripped across the weekday schedule. The series is directed by Dominic Zapata (My Husband’s Lover, Temptation of Wife) under GMA’s Entertainment Group SVP, Lilybeth Rasonable, and drama VP Redgie Magno.