GMA Network and ABS-CBN’s mystery-romance collaboration “The Secrets of Hotel 88” has reached the No. 1 spot on iWant’s most-watched series list, as viewers continue to tune in for its gripping twists, high-stakes drama, and the strong appeal of its young cast.
Since its debut, the series has generated social media buzz for its story that keeps audiences guessing each episode. Blending mystery, romance, and family drama, “The Secrets of Hotel 88” delivers a different viewing experience that has hooked audiences.
Featuring stars from “Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Collab Edition Season 1,” including Mika Salamanca, Brent Manalo, AZ Martinez, Ralph De Leon, River Joseph, Klarisse De Guzman, Esnyr Ranollo, Xyriel Manabat, Josh Ford, Kira Balinger, Dustin Yu, Bianca De Vera, and Will Ashley, alongside Gardo Versoza, Dominic Ochoa, and Ina Raymundo, the series brings together rising talents and seasoned actors in a suspense-driven narrative set against the haunting backdrop of Hotel 88.
The series opens with Federico (Gardo) and Michael (Dominic) murdering Sandro (Christian Vasquez) in self-defense, a dark secret they’ve kept for decades. Years later, their families remain closely linked as the Fernandez brothers—Kiko (Will), Gio (Brent), and Martin (Ralph)—grow up spending summers at Hotel 88 alongside the Almazan siblings—Luna (Mika Salamanca), Jade (Bianca), Leon (River), and Justin (Josh).
Tensions erupt when Michael discovers that his wife Frida (Ina) is having an affair with Federico. Decades later, just as Federico and Michael appear to reconcile, both men are murdered in broad daylight by an unknown killer, igniting the mystery of the entire story.
Catch episodes 1–5 of “The Secrets of Hotel 88” for free on iWant, and watch each new episode for free on the platform after it airs on free TV. For viewers who want to stay ahead of the mystery, subscribers can stream new episodes seven days before their free TV broadcast on iWant.
Download the iWant app now and subscribe to enjoy early access to “The Secrets of Hotel 88,” plus an expansive library of Filipino series, films, and exclusive originals—anytime, anywhere.
KathNiel fans are surely excited for the TV comeback of Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla! Directed by Mae Cruz-Alviar, 2 Good 2 Be True is set to air on May 16, 2022 on free TV but, get this, it is the first Pinoy teleserye that will air on the streaming platform Netflix before its local TV release. The real-life couple expresses how grateful and excited they are for this project, truly a too good to be true moment!
2 Good 2 Be True marks KathNiel’s first project since The House Arrest of Us and their first teleserye aired on free TV in years. It follows Eloy played by Daniel Padilla and Ali played by Kathryn Bernardo who are both broken by the complications of love in their parents’ lives. They find their way into each other but are constantly being pulled back because of the doubts in their hearts until they find out that their lives are more connected than they realize.
Watch the full trailer of 2 Good 2 Be True:
In a virtual roundtable interview with friends from the media, we were able to have a quick chat with Director Mae Cruz-Alviar, and real-life couple Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla. Kathryn shares what urged them to push through with this project, Daniel talks about how different this is from their other projects, and Director Mae Cruz-Alviar spills what it’s like working with the couple over the years. Read the interview below:
What excited you the most when you first read the script?
Kathryn Bernardo: I got excited when they told us na if ever Tito Ronaldo Valdez will accept this project, siya yung magiging Lolo Hugo. Nung sinabi yun, I wanna do this. Kasi it’s not just a love story, ang maganda sa 2 Good 2 Be True is very relevant rin yung story.
Maraming mata-tackle na hindi natin alam yung nangyayari sa ibang tao so nung nalaman namin na in-accept na ni Tito Ron, parang sign na samin ng universe na we should do this. Gusto namin rom-com, binigay na rom-com. We wanted Direk Mae, binigay si Direk Mae. And then si Tito Ron, nag-yes siya so walang reason to say no to this. So when they told us about it, sabi na namin na this is the project for us and it’s really worth the wait.
Image: 2 GOOD 2 BE TRUE (ABS-CBN)
What makes 2 Good 2 Be True different from other rom-coms that you and Kathryn have done?
Daniel Padilla: Sa dami naming nagawa ni Kathryn, ano nga ba ang bagong ibigay namin. Hindi ba? I think mas marami kaming nagawa na rom-com na films. Yung isa naming nagawa na serye is Got 2 Believe so parang pangalawa pa lang namin ito. Marami pang pwedeng abangan na bago. Siyempre unang una, iba naman yung kwento, iba rin yung characters namin dito, at first time din namin ni Direk Mae magse-serye from simula hanggang dulo. So yeah, marami pa kaming pwedeng ma offer na bago dito. Siyempre kasama rin dun yung casting nitong show — malaking bagay rin yun.
How do you maintain the kilig after all these years?
Kathryn Bernardo: Yan yung sobrang challenging kasi siyempre, di ko sinasabi na nawawala yung kilig. Of course the love is there and it gets deeper and nagma-mature, pero iba siyempre yung kilig namin 9 or 10 years ago sa nararamdaman namin ngayon. So yan ang challenge every scene especially kay Direk Mae and sa writer. Ano pa yung hindi namin nagawa na kilig na pwede namin ma-offer dito.
As a real-life couple, nag-iiba lahat but hindi ibig sabihin na nababawasan na yung love. It’s just that ang hirap ihiwalay yung personal kapag makikita mo sa characters namin na on screen. So siguro, dyan pumapasok si Direk Mae kasi siya talaga yung nahihirapan kung pano siya baliin. And pati rin kami ni DJ, kung ano pa yung bago namin na mao-offer. So hopefully, nabigyan naman ng bagong flavor dito since iba naman yung dynamics ng characters namin ni DJ.
Image: 2 GOOD 2 BE TRUE (ABS-CBN)
Since this isn’t the first time working with KathNiel, can you share what they were like for this project?
Director Mae Cruz-Alviar: Their usual selves because hindi naman sila nag-bago kung paano sila as people, but there is maturity. Mas independent na sila ngayon kasi siyempre nakita ko sila nung kasama pa si Mama Min, when they were kids. That’s how they are now. It’s still them, alam mong hindi nag-bago, unfazed by the proportions of their popularity now and the prestige of the loveteam. But they are still the same Kath and DJ from before, only more mature and wiser, with more experience as actors.
Without spoiling anything, what is the message you hope to impart to fans?
Director Mae Cruz-Alviar: It’s important to not be just too good to be true. To be honest, because that’s very important.
At what point did you think it was too good to be true?
Kathryn Bernardo: Actually, just last month when Tita Cory [Vidanes] talked to us and then sinabi niya na samin na mapapanuod nga ng tao not just on free tv but also on Netflix, yun pa lang, that was a first for us. It’s very special and we are very grateful na nabigyan kami ng ganitong platform para mas marami pang makapanuod with everything that’s happened last year. We’re very grateful to Netflix for giving us this opportunity to share this beautiful project with everyone.
Image: 2 GOOD 2 BE TRUE (ABS-CBN)
What’s an advice you’d want to give your characters Eloy and Ali?
Kathryn Bernardo: Siguro my advice to Ali would be, not to be scared to trust people and to give chance. Kasi si Ali, she’s very protective and guarded. With her experience especially with her mom, may tendancy talaga na may trust issues siya sa guys. Maybe if kausap ko siya ngayon, sasabihin ko sakanya na just give chance kasi hindi naman lahat ng tao ay masama. There’s still goodness in this world and you just have to give that chance.
Daniel Padilla: Una, siguro wag magpapa apekto sa mga nakaraan. We should learn to move on. And wag mong paghahawakan ang mga grudges mo sa buhay dahil hindi yun maganda para sayo.
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2 Good 2 Be True will be available on Netflix on May 13, 2022, 72 hours before it airs on free / pay TV.
For the first time in the Philippines, ABS-CBN, the country’s leading content provider, announced its partnership with YouTube to develop and produce a new original series that will stream exclusively on the video streaming platform. “How to Move On in 30 Days,” a romantic-comedy featuring the fresh team-up of Maris Racal and Carlo Aquino, will premiere on YouTube this 2022.
The co-production deal is the latest initiative of ABS-CBN to expand its digital content offerings and reach more audiences on YouTube with the goal of serving more Filipinos on various platforms.
ABS-CBN has been streaming its live and on-demand shows via Kapamilya Online Live on YouTube. It also offers “Made for YouTube” entertainment, lifestyle, and music shows, and ABS-CBN Superview, which offers free streaming of hit movies.
The digital shows are all viewed on ABS-CBN Entertainment, the most subscribed (38 million subscribers) and most viewed (45 billion views) YouTube channel in Southeast Asia.
In “How to Move On in 30 Days,” Maris is unceremoniously dumped by her ex-boyfriend and promises to move on from him within 30 days. She chronicles her journey on her own vlog and later hires Carlo as her fictitious boyfriend with the intention of fully healing from heartbreak. After 30 days of trying so hard to bury the past, will she have completely moved on, or will her efforts prove to be futile?
The series, directed by Benedict Mique and Dick Lindayag, also stars Albie Casiño, John Lapus, Jai Agpangan, Sachzna Laparan, Kyo Quijano, Sherry Lara, Poppert Bernadas, Hanie Harrar, Elyson De Dios, and James Bello.
Watch out for “How to Move On in 30 Days” soon on YouTube.
