Stairway to Heaven (Philippines TV series)

Stairway to Heaven
Genre
Created by Park Hye-kyung
Based on Stairway to Heaven (2003)
Developed by Dode Cruz
Directed by
Starring
Theme music composer
  • Romer Timberza
  • Elmer Blancaflor
Opening theme "Pag-ibig Ko'y Pansinin" by Regine Velasquez[2]
Composer(s) Richard Gonzales
Country of origin Philippines
Original language(s) Tagalog
No. of episodes 65
Production
Executive producer(s) Joseph Buncalan
Production location(s)
Camera setup Multiple-camera setup
Running time 30-45 minutes
Production company(s) GMA Entertainment TV
Release
Original network GMA Network
Picture format 480i (SDTV)
Original release September 14 (2009-09-14) – December 11, 2009 (2009-12-11)

Stairway to Heaven is a 2009 Philippine television drama romance series broadcast by GMA Network. The series is based from the 2003 television series of the same title. Directed by Joyce E. Bernal, Andoy Ranay and Mac Alejandre, it stars Dingdong Dantes and Rhian Ramos.[3] It premiered on September 14, 2009 on the network's Telebabad line up replacing Adik Sa'Yo and worldwide on September 16, 2009 on GMA Pinoy TV. The series concluded on December 11, 2009 with a total of 65 episodes.[4]

Premise

At a young age Cholo Fuentebella and Jodi Reyes have been the best of friends. They grew up next to each other and resided beside a beach house for a couple of years. But a time comes that both have to go on their separate ways with Jodi's father Jovan, an architect who falls for and marries the character actress Maita Aragon. The liaison seems to be the picture perfect family Jodi has always wanted until all of a sudden, she must also deal with her step siblings Tristan and Eunice from a past marriage. Eunice envies Jodi and considers Cholo hers.

The relationship of Cholo and Jodi takes on the first challenge when Cholo leaves to study in the U.S. Before he left, the two young lovers promised to wait for each other until Cholo has finished his studies. Their only way of communication is through letters, but Eunice is the one who receives Cholo's letters instead of Jodi. Jodi caught Eunice keeping the letters, and after which they wrote to each other every day.

Seven years later, Jodi awaits for Cholo's triumphant return. With his arrival, the two couple reunite, and Cholo takes the chance to make a wedding proposal to Jodi, which she willingly accepts. However, Cholo still has to finish some negotiations in the States. When he returns to stay in the country for good, Eunice hits Jodi with her car while waiting for Cholo. This causes Jodi to have amnesia, and Tristan takes the chance to make Jodi his. After Jodi wakes, he introduces himself as Charlie and tells her that her name is Jenna.

Eunice and Maita made it look an accident and fake Jodi's death. The two convince Jodi's family to believe that she is dead. However, Cholo doubts it and believes that she is still alive. To recover from his loss, he goes back to the States. Eunice follows him. She persuades Cholo to enter a marriage proposal, and after five years, they come back to announce their engagement. However, for Cholo, the five years that has gone by has not changed his love for Jodi.

Cholo revisits the places he and Jodi shared memories. One day, he goes to the carousel they used to ride as children and wishes to see Jodi once more. To his surprise, he sees her riding the carousel. Cholo rushes to Jodi (who thinks she is Jenna) and insists that she is Jodi. Jenna denies knowing him, but Cholo believes she really is Jodi and is determined to make her remember the love she had for him. Eventually, they became close. Cholo also introduced Jenna to Jodi's father, and he was shocked by her similarity with his daughter. Eunice and her mother, who both know the truth, are terrified that Jodi will regain her memory, so they planned on destroying Cholo's trust on Jenna. Cholo was deceived, and he realizes that he is mistaken for thinking that Jenna is Jodi.

Eunice, devastated on Cholo's rejection for her, nearly hits Jodi with her car again. With this, Jodi's memory returned and she rushes to tell Cholo, who believes her upon seeing the necklace he gave to Jodi before. However, Maita, Eunice's mother, blackmailed Zoila, Cholo's mother, to make Cholo marry Eunice. Zoila could not do anything but disown Cholo as her son.

Despite his lack of money, Jodi and Cholo tried to continue their love for each other. But one day, Jodi discovers she has eye cancer. Depressed, she goes to Tristan tells her to take her away from Cholo since she can't bear to see him in pain. Gradually, Jodi's vision deteriorates into blindness. Tristan discovers Jodi's disease, and since he doesn't want to see his step-sister in pain, he tells Cholo about it. Cholo pleads for her mother's assistance for Jodi's operation. Tristan also reveals the truth behind the accident, and Eunice is arrested and her mother is sent to a mental institute.

Cholo and Tristan became good friends. They both asked a doctor if they could give Jodi their corneas, but the doctor informs them that they are not allowed to take corneas from live donors. Tristan trusts Cholo's love for Jodi, and he considers Jodi's wish to see Cholo's face again. He wants to grant her wish at all costs and sets in motion his plan. He creates fake pictures of him and a girl in France, and writes letters for Jodi to be sent later, saying he is not sure when he will return. Tristan then creates a car accident to commit suicide to donate his corneas to Jodi. After his death, Jodi undergoes an operation and is able to see once more.

The next few days, Jodi and Cholo spend quality time together. One day, Jodi's eyesight falters again, and Cholo finds out that the cancer has already metastasized. Although Cholo wants her to undergo the chemotherapy treatments to live, she decides she would rather spend time with him that die in a hospital. They continued their plan to be married, but on the same day, Jodi dies at the seaside near her childhood house, in the arms of Cholo.

Cast and characters

Dingdong Dantes portrays Cholo Fuentebella.
Glaiza de Castro portrays Eunice Aragon.
Lead cast
Supporting cast
Special participation

Ratings

According to AGB Nielsen Philippines' Mega Manila household television ratings, the pilot episode of Stairway to Heaven earned a 33.5% rating.[6] While the final episode scored a 30.7% rating.[7]

Home media release

Due to its popularity and reaching success in Philippines and globally, it was released in January 2010, on DVD by GMA Records with all complete episodes in 6 Volumes.

Accolades

  • It was nominated in the 37th Guillermo Mendoza Awards as "Favorite Television Drama" along with Tayong Dalawa, Tanging Yaman, Katorse, Carlo J. Caparas' Ang Babaeng Hinugot Sa Aking Tadyang, and Dahil May Isang Ikaw.
  • On July 2010 in the issue of Starstudio (ABS-CBN), Jean Garcia became a runner-up in the survey with other female celebrities in the Stylish Kontrabida's (Anatagonist's) alongside Agot Isidro and Mylene Dizon.
  • In the recent 23rd annual PMPC Star Awards for Television, Dingdong Dantes won Best Actor in a prime time series for Stairway To Heaven. He also won the Best Actor award in the Asian Television Awards for his role as Cholo Fuentebella.

International broadcast

Country Network Title Date
Vietnam TodayTV VTC7 Thiên đường vắng em May 2, 2011
Cambodia CTN ឋានសួគ៌ស្នេហ៍
Malaysia TV3 Stairway to Heaven 2012[8]
Hawaii KIKU Television Stairway to Heaven

References

  1. ↑ Stairway to Heaven will air pilot episode on September 14 pep.ph
  2. ↑ Lavish presentation journal.com.ph
  3. ↑ Director Joyce Bernal says she's not responsible if lead stars of Stairway to Heaven fall for each other pep.ph
  4. ↑ Dingdong Dantes feels optimistic that people will support his first soap with Rhian Ramos pep.ph
  5. ↑ Child stars who will play little Cholo, little Jodi introduced gmanews.tv
  6. ↑ Santiago, Erwin (September 15, 2009). "AGB Mega Manila TV Ratings (Sept. 11-14): Stairway To Heaven makes a big step on its first episode". Retrieved March 7, 2018.
  7. ↑ Santiago, Erwin (December 15, 2009). "AGB Mega Manila TV Ratings (Dec. 11-13): Full House ties with Darna on top; Stairway To Heaven finale a close second". Retrieved March 7, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Intisari Rancangan TV3" (in Malay). Utusan Malaysia. January 16, 2012. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
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