Returning

Undoubtedly, one of the most independent, impartial, credible, public service oriented Radio-TV network in our country today is ABS CBN. It is undeniably the network with the widest reach to all sectors of our society, from the masa to the elite and even to Filipinos all over the world. Hence it has been aptly dubbed as the Kapamilya network, a name that suits the kind of TV and radio programs it has produced and shown because of their mass appeal.

Indeed my weekly TV public service program Kapag Nasa Katwiran, Ipaglaban Mo became a hit in the ’90s when ABS-CBN produced and aired it on their TV station Channel 2. It became one of the top rated, longest running program on TV because of its educational value imparted in the form of enlightening and entertaining drama anthology of cases decided by our Supreme Court. These are cases where our highest court of the land explains and interprets the laws of country and applies them to the facts established and proven as true by the hierarchies of courts in our justice system.

Thus I was so elated when ABS-CBN President Charo Santos-Concio and TV station head Cory Vidanes agreed to produce the show again and welcomed me back into their fold. This time I will be hosting the show together with my son Jopet Sison to further instill that spirit of Kapamilya into it. And so, starting June 7, 2014, Saturday and every Saturday thereafter, at 2:30 in the afternoon, the hit show of the ‘90s, Kapag Nasa Katwiran, Ipaglaban Mo!, will be back on ABS-CBN Channel 2. Hopefully it will become a hit once more like in the ’90s so that a lot more of our countrymen will be educated on our laws in an entertaining manner.

The show actually renders public service because it informs the Filipino people, especially the masses, of the various laws of the land applicable to their everyday lives as depicted in actual cases already decided by the SC, thus enabling them to become law abiding citizens and responsible members of our society.

It is a different TV legal show in the sense that the stories are based on facts already determined by the courts from the evidence presented during the trial, and not merely on the versions given by the viewers or by parties to cases still pending in court or under investigation. It is also different in the sense that the legal answers to the stories presented come not from the opinions of the host lawyer but from the decisions of the Supreme Court which are already considered as part of the law of the land.

Ipaglaban Mo is an adaptation of the various cases reported in this long running column of the Philippine Star, “A Law Each Day” and thus also presented in a simple and easily understandable manner. Co-hosting the show will still be yours truly assisted by my son Jopet Sison who took up law at the Ateneo de Manila University and finished it at Manuel L. Quezon University. To make it more interesting and informative, the one hour dramatization of the cases will be more vivid and riveting so that people in the same situation can easily relate to parties involved. It will maintain its relevance by showing the latest decided case under modern settings and backdrops.

Ipaglaban Mo started in 1989 when some colleagues in media saw the potential of “A Law Each Day” also becoming a TV show because of the common touch and easily understandable manner in which the highly technical decisions of the SC were presented. The format and style of this column was actually the idea of the late Philippine Star Publisher, Betty Go-Belmonte who wanted the SC cases reported here to be couched in common language and with clarity and charity as to be easily absorbed not only by lawyers but by ordinary people. Thus “A Law Each Day” in the Philippine Star became “Ipaglaban Mo” on TV.

The weekly TV show started way back on November 20, 1989 at another channel. The initial episode starred Richard Gomez and Dina Bonnevie under the direction of the renowned Peque Gallaga and Lorenzo Reyes. The next episode starred Jaclyn Jose, Jimmy Santos and Tirso Cruz III with Carlitos Siguion Reyna as, director. Subsequently, Nick Lizaso an incumbent commissioner of the National Commission on Culture and Arts (NCCA) took over and directed most of the episodes in the show.

Because of its mass appeal, a daily 5 minute legal vignette entitled “Ikaw at ang Batas” was also developed and aired. This was a shortened version of the weekly program with some reenactments of the established facts. It was also station produced by ABS-CBN Channel 2 in the early ’90s and was aired daily, Monday to Friday as part of “Hoy Gising” another hit show in the said network, hosted by Ted Failon and Korina Sanchez.

On the occasion of the 18th Catholic Mass Media Awards, the show was bestowed with the  “St.Lorenzo Ruiz Award” for Television particularly the episode entitled “Karahasan o Kamangmangan,”  for “serving God and the Filipino people by promoting human values through the mass media.”

Ipaglaban Mo really became a hit because of its mass appeal. Hence to reach more people and have a wider base, ABS-CBN through its sister company, the Star Cinema decided to produce two movies also adapted from sensational cases reported in this column. These two movies were actually produced portraying several cases starring well known actors and actresses in local cinema.

The production staff of the new show in ABS-CBN is composed of young, enthusiastic, energetic, hardworking and dedicated people who are bent on really coming out with top quality episodes that will surely revive the interest of its audience and avid followers. Special mention are the following: Ruel S. Bayani Business Unit Head, Rizza G. Ebriega, Production Manager, Celeste V. Lumasac, Executive Producer and Arlene S. Tamayo, Head Writer.

Hopefully when our program comes back on the air it will once more help our people overcome their ignorance of our laws and enhance their human values.

E-mail: [email protected]