Asia, many say, is the part of the world from which great TV arises. This year, HOOQ -- the largest Video on Demand service in South East Asia -- is mounting a project that turns TV series ideas into reality by calling Asian filmmakers to send in their scripts and treatments for a TV series idea.

calling Asian filmmakers!

During a media conference held at B Hotel in Quezon City the other day, Allison Chew, HOOQ Head of Brand, pointed out that more and more Asian viewers are making the shift to watching local shows so HOOQ is giving film professionals "a format to tell their stories" via the HOOQ Filmmakers Guild.

Renowned director, Erik Matti, who will represent the Philippines on the judging panel, affirmed that, "Everyone's moving to online so we can already see the shift to online viewing. HOOQ offers an international opportunity for us to share our stories and bring them to the global stage."

Direk Erik further added he believes the Philippines still has a lot of undiscovered filmmakers out there just waiting for their big break. "The HOOQ FIlmmakers Guild will give these aspiring filmmakers a chance to see their ideas become reality and, hopefully, inspire others to pursue their dream."

(from left) Allison Chew, Jane Cruz-Walker, Director Erik Matti,  and Jeff Remigio HOOQ Content and Programming Head

"Filipinos are very good storytellers," described Jane Cruz-Walker, HOOQ Country Manager. "There are so much more we can explore. This is an opportunity to spread your wings," she encouraged.

Apart from Direk Erik, two other judges from Indonesia have also already been announced: Mouly Surya, a critically acclaimed director who recently screened at Director's Fortnight in Cannes; and Nicholas Saputra, an award-winning actor and documentary producer. They will lead the selection process of the five pilots to be produced and the full series thereafter.

"There is incredible talent for TV series making in Asia and we want to give opportunities to film professionals to turn these amazing ideas into reality. HOOQ is built in Asia for Asia and we want to give Asian filmmakers the power to create quality entertainment that gives our customers that escape into worlds of romance, action, adventure, and even heroism, all in the setting of their backyard," pronounced Peter Bithos, Chief Executive Officer of HOOQ.

one of HOOQ's original productions

So, if you are a director, producer, or scriptwriter, take a chance to have your script selected as one of the five that will be given a funding of US$30,000 to be converted into a pilot episode that will debut on HOOQ! Submissions can be from Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia. The best among the five pilots will be converted into a full series produced and aired on HOOQ. Winner will be decided by HOOQ subscribers and a star-studded judging panel consisting of top film talents around Asia and Hollywood (still to be announced). 

The HOOQ Filmmakers Guild is open for entries until August 15, 2017. Applicants must be either in film school or working as professionals in the film industry with prior film production experience. To qualify, they need to submit the script and treatment for a mini-series or a full-series with a maximum of 13 episodes for a single season. There will be no restriction to genre but submissions and productions must be in the language of the applicant's country.

Watch the trailer of this movie! I bet you'll be intrigued by the story, too!

The winning series will be part of HOOQ's new original productions including Critical Eleven and Sweet 20 which hit cinemas last month while Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts and OTJ 2 are scheduled to come out later this year.

  

Two years since its inception, HOOQ continues to deliver the best of both Asian and Hollywood entertainment to homes across Asia. With subscribers in the millions, the largest Video on Demand service in South East Asia provides over 30,000 hours of quality entertainment that will be increased with new partnerships from Paramount Pictures, BBC Worldwide, and Endamol Shine.

In addition, HOOQ has just announced a new service that delivers movies fresh from the cinema to your home. Transactional Video On Demand (TVOD) allows blockbuster movies to hit the service within three months of their theatrical release. To top it off, customers who currently subscribe to the Subscription VOD (SVOD) service will be able to enjoy one movie from the TVOD library each month as part of their subscription at no additional cost!

"Securing new partners such as Paramount Pictures, BBC, and Endemol Shine are a testament to the fact that HOOQ has the right formula to deliver quality entertainment to Asian homes, with a balance of the best Asian films and dramas alongside solid Hollywood blockbusters and series," described Peter Bithos, HOOQ Chief Executive Officer. "We have never been more elated and will continue to push boundaries to evolve and stay committed to delivering the best entertainment to our customers with new services such as TVOD that bring movies to your homes quicker than ever before -- even as part of your SVOD subscription."

Build in Asia for Asia, HOOQ continuously innovates and delivers the best quality entertainment through the world's first download capability for Hollywood, its weekly pricing, or its ad-free freemium model. This successful formula comes from HOOQ's strategy of combining the best Asian and Hollywood content with a solid distribution partner network of the top telcos and broadband providers in the region including AIS, Airtel, Globe Telecom, Telkom, and Telkomsel, just to name a few.    

"In the Philippines, we made sure to put together the best Filipino content for our subscribers with a combination of the top local studios and independent filmmakers. This, combined with HOOQ's strategy of serving premium Hollywood content, as well as our key distribution partnership with Globe, has contributed to making HOOQ the regional leader," pointed out Jane Cruz-Walker, HOOQ Philippines Country Manager.

As mentioned above, HOOQ subscribers will get access to watch one TVOD movie a month for free while additional movies can be rented for just P125.00 each. Every month, new movies will be uploaded from studios such as Sony Pictures, Warner Bros., Disney, Dreamworks, and Pixar with titles such as Arrival, Underworld: Blood Wars, Fantastic Beasts and How to Find Them, and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, just to name a few. With this new feature, HOOQ customers can now enjoy the largest library of Hollywood and Asian hits, TV series same day as the US, as well as the latest movies fresh off the cinemas!

Filipino movie fans would likewise be glad to know that HOOQ has inked exclusive deals with Regal Entertainment and Viva Communications for digital rights to their new movies within three months of theatrical release. Recent hits such as Camp Sawi, Bakit Lahat ng Guapo May Boyfriend, and I Love You to Death have already debuted on HOOQ and are consistently in the top 10 list of most watched content by subscribers. Next to be released within the next quarter are Mano Po 7, Die Beautiful, The Escort, and My Rebound Girl with newly released movies to follow throughout the year.

HOOQ is moreover bostering its line-up of Hollywood studio partnerships consisting of Sony Pictures, Warner Bros., Disney, Dreamworks, Lionsgate, Miramax, Starz, and over a hundred Asian studios. New hit series are also now available from Endamol Shine and BBC including Secret Diary of a Call Girl, Mistresses, and Wolf Hall. Furthermore, the full catalog of DC shows are now also on HOOQ: Legends of Tomorrow, Arrow, and Gotham. Meanwhile, Supergirl, Lucifer, and Powerless are available to stream within 24 hours of US airing.

Get HOOQ'd by downloading the HOOQ app from the Apple Store or Google Play, sign up or log in to access its library of top Hollywood and Asian hits anytime, anywhere and on any device including computers, smartphones, tablets, set-top boxes, smart TVs via Google Chromecast, and all Apple devices. 

If you are a Globe At Home customer, get up to up to six months access to HOOQ with plans P1,299 and up, while Globe mobile customers can also get u to six months trial on selected prepaid and postpaid plans. Visit www.hooq.tv to sign up for a 7-day free trial.

* photos courtesy of Trail Unlimited

One of the concerns of parents with young kids is the content available on local TV. Sometimes, there just aren't good enough shows that are appropriate to be viewed by very young audiences. The thing is, children who can't wait for their favorite shows' time slots may resort to just watching whatever is on the tube at the moment, which may not be very kid-friendly.

Last week, HOOQ Philippines showcased its massive collection of family-friendly titles and animated series at the third HOOQ Hangouts, a pre-Halloween treat of the biggest outdoor cinema event series held at the Globe Iconic Store in Bonifacio Global City.

Like the previous events, HOOQ Hangouts, in cooperation with Samsung and Globe Live, turned the BGC Amphitheater into a free outdoor cinema venue with massive LED screens, beanbags, and cushioned benches so guests can fully enjoy the show. This #SpHOOQtacular event featured games and prizes for little ones who came in costumes before the screening of Monster House, an Academy Award nominee for Best Animated Feature horror-comedy produced by Steven Spielberg and Robert Zemeckis. 

I've been hooked on HOOQ since last year when I started watching some TV series I missed several episodes of, as well as movies I didn't get to catch during their runs at the cinema theater. Now, Asia's first and largest premium video-on-demand service unveils its new app with ad-free "freemium" features.

The first of its kind hybrid model built in Asia for Asian customers, HOOQ takes on a mobile-first user experience to cater to the varied demands of users who are always on the go. Jane Cruz-Walker, HOOQ Philippines' Country Manager, acknowledges that peoples' viewing times and habits have changed. "We are so mobile now and there are lots of waiting happening. So turn downtime to what you want it to be! Whether you're waiting for your turn in the salon or doctor's clinic, you can catch up on your favorite shows," she suggested. "You are in control to turn moments into HOOQ time, any time!"

HOOQ ambassador and Miss World 2013 Megan Young estimated that 90% of the time, her job in the entertainment industry is spent waiting. So, while having her hair and makeup done, exercising on a treadmill, or being stuck traffic, Megan plays catch up on her favorite TV series like Scandal and Revenge on HOOQ. 

The beautiful actress further revealed how happy she was to find out that she could watch Encantadia on the app because she is a big fan of Jennylyn Mercado. Her advice to everyone? "Have fun while waiting. Download HOOQ asap and binge watch your favorite shows!"

HOOQ's new hybrid model now allows viewers to sample a premium service at no cost because every registered user can watch the pilot episodes of all TV series even after their free trial period has ended. I love this idea that you can "test run" shows first to see if you will like one (or several) enough to continue watching and pay for the subscription. 

In addition, "Users who can't commit to subscribe for a year can now do so for a week or a month. You no longer have to delete the app when your subscription ends because you'll still get access to new pilot episodes ad-free!" explained Krishnan Rajagopalan, HOOQ's Chief Content Officer.

"We believe this will be a win-win strategy for both our customers and our business as it allows the customers to try the service and the content before they decide to purchase. At the same time, we have the opportunity to re-engage customers whenever we introduce our latest titles, outside of their free trial period," pointed out HOOQ CEO Peter Bithos who added that they are launching the product in the Philippines where it all began as Filipinos are watching content whenever, wherever with our mobile phones. 

Jeffrey Remigio, HOOQ Philippines' Director of Content, assured, "We continue to grow our catalog by partnering with other content providers." At the moment, HOOQ already has over 10,000 movies and TV series available on the app.

HOOQ fans can also look forward to a new app interface that boasts a mobile-first user experience that   was built from extensive customer beta testing and usability research. The goal is to derive a customer-centric experience, given that over 80% of us access HOOQ on our mobile devices.

new mobile interface

Designed with the habits of social and digital savvies in mind, HOOQ's latest release has a brand new real time content feed and personalized recommendation engine that makes it easier to discover new favorites. There's also an improved search engine, wish lists (for future viewing), and optimized content delivery for significantly faster app start and streaming start times.

In addition to being available on iOS, Android, web, Chromecast, and Android Set-top Box, HOOQ will now also be accessible on Airplay and mobile web. "For me, one of the most exciting new features is the real time content feed that highlights our most popular content and knowing what others are watching and which titles are trending!" revealed Cruz-Walker.

with fellow HOOQ users

It's easy to get HOOQ'd! Sign up on www.HOOQ.tv for a free trial and start binge watching! Subscriptions start from P149 a month and from as low as P59.00 a week. "You should not only have 30 days to decide if you want to subscribe. You should be able to take as long as you want. We're for emerging markets everywhere," described Bithos who expounded the sachet marketing concept as Filipino's propensity to buy, for example, a single cigarette rather than the whole pack. "We have reinvented the way users interact with premium content. It has been a fantastic ride [since HOOQ started] and it's only the beginning."

I love the Supergirl TV series. My first reason, actually, is the presence of Calista Flockhart because I enjoyed watching the Ally McBeal series many years ago. Her character this time though is so far from being an eccentric lawyer and I find it refreshing to see her play something very different -- as Cat Grant, the very much put together media mogul and intimidating boss of CATCO.

Second, I liked the 1984 Supergirl movie starring Helen Slater as well as the Lois and Clark series that featured Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher. So, it was a very pleasant and welcome surprise when I found out in Season 1 that Helen and Dean play Supergirl's adopted parents. That, for me, seems like a full circle thingy ;-) 

Filipinos love watching films and TV series and we have a wide variety of local ones. For many movie goers, seeing a light romantic comedy can already help take a day's stresses away. Others love screaming with friends and scaring each other over Pinoy horror films while some watch teleseryes with stories they can usually relate to. 

Whatever your reasons for watching are, I believe supporting Filipino talents and the local film and TV industry is a good thing. HOOQ successfully helped promote this with its second HOOQ Hangouts themed #LovePinoy last Friday night with a screening of Every Breath You Take starring Piolo Pascual and Angelica Panganiban at the Globe Iconic Store in Bonifacio Global City.

Jane Cruz-Walker, Country Manager of HOOQ Philippines, explained, "With the start of the -ber months, everyone is expecting the weather to be a bit colder, so we chose a romantic comedy that's guaranteed to rekindle that warm fuzzy feeling and make our subscribers feel some Pinoy love."

With close to 1,200 Filipino movies spanning almost 50 years (1980's to 2016) and over 4,000 hours of local television (teleseryes, comedy, and reality shows), HOOQ definitely has a rich catalog of local content. It is the prime destination for Filipino entertainment compared to other video-on-demand services in the country.

"Pinoy films/TV shows are closest to our hearts because they tell the stories of our lives, that is why we have signed licensing deals with the top Philippines studios including ABS-CBN, Regal, Viva, and GMA," added Cruz-Walker.

With HOOQ, users can stream or download romantic flicks featuring celebrity couples like James Reid and Nadine Lustre's Diary ng Panget and This Time; John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo's top-billed romantic blockbusters One More Chance, Close to You, and The Mistress; and the melodramatic A Secret Affair starring Derek Ramsay and Anne Curtis.

Craving for Pinoy Action Blockbusters? HOOQ also has you covered with On The Job, Muro Ami, FPJ's Ang Probinsyano, Deathrow, and Dugo ng Panday leading the list. For the horror film aficionados, you can scream your lungs out with classics such as Feng Shui, Sukob, Shake Rattle and Roll series, and The Healing. 

If you prefer to laugh, choose to watch Sisterakas, Kimmy Dora, Wang Fam, My Amnesia Girl, and Girl Boy Bakla Tomboy with top comedians Vice Ganda, Eugene Domingo, and Toni Gonzaga as headliners. Want to go further back all the way to the '80s? You can also enjoy watching hard to find classics ranging from Bagets and Sana'y Wala Nang Wakas to Temptation Island, Rizal, and Ishmael Bernal's City After Dark.

In case you missed certain TV series episodes, open the HOOQ app and watch entire seasons of Imortal, Encantadia, Walang Hanggan or play catch-up with those currently airing like GMA's Singungaling Mong Puso and Someone to Watch Over Me.

Not to be left behind is the rich collection of independent titles such as Metro Manila, Sonata, Six Degrees of Separation from Lilia Cuntapay, Zombadings, Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros, and the works of top Filipino directors like Erik Matti, Peque Gallaga, Aureus Solito, Jade Castro, and Real Florido as well as award-winning writers Moira Lang, Antoinette Jadaone, and Michiko Yamamoto.

Last year, HOOQ also showed its support for the Metro Manila Film Festival and short film/animation category by making MMFF movies available on the app. You can find more information about that in my previous blog post.

I loved my first HOOQ Hangouts experience this past week because I got to hang out with some blogger friends and finally knew what's it's like to be in an outdoor cinema. Make sure you keep updated on the next schedules via the HOOQ Philippines page on Facebook or by following @hooq_ph on Twitter and Instagram.

In the coming months, HOOQ Hangouts will be featuring more blockbusters and all-time favorites through the massive Samsung LED screens at the Globe Iconic Entertainment Zone. This free outdoor cinema venue provides viewers with beanbags, pillows, and cushions for full enjoyment of the show. There, participants also get to enjoy on-ground entertainment and activities, munch on free popcorn, and win raffle prizes. 

HOOQ is Asia's largest video-on-demand service with over 10,000 movies and TV shows. FYI, Globe customers can get free access to HOOQ with selected GoSURF mobile data plans as well as Broadband Plan 1299 and up. Get a 7-day free trial by visiting www.hooq.tv. Once the trial expires, continue enjoying HOOQ for a monthly P149 subscription fee charged to your Globe bill. Simply text HOOQ149 to 8888.   

I've been watching movies (MMFF entries, etc.) and episodes of new (Supergirl) and old (Kyle XY) TV series on HOOQ since December and I find the app a good source of entertainment. Yesterday, I got an invite to catch an exclusive sneak peek of Mad Dogs, a remake of a British TV series from 2011. I have to confess I got hooked on the storyline!

Mad Dogs stars Steve Zahn, Ben Chaplin, Michael Imperioli, and Romany Malco. It is a mind-blowing thriller that begins in beautiful Belize where a group of friends had a reunion to celebrate the early retirement of their buddy Milo, played by Billy Zane. The villa setting is gorgeous but the feel of paradise quickly becomes marred with a labyrinth of lies, deception, and murder that puts the best of friendships to the ultimate test.

I think one of the most awaited entries in this year's Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) would have to be My Bebe Love. Aside from it starring two well-known personalities in the local movie industry, Vic Sotto and Ai-Ai Delas Alas, the movie also features the phenomenal love team of Alden Richards and Maine "Yaya Dub" Mendoza.

I was at the first half of the blogcon for My Bebe Love at Annabel's in Quezon City where Direk Joey and Alden gamely answered questions from bloggers. When asked what makes this movie different from his other past movies, Direk Joey readily replied, "One is that we are packaging a completely different Vic Sotto. This is not an Enteng Vic Sotto but a sophisticated, handsome, gentleman, rich, tasteful Vic Sotto who he really is."

"Secondly, this is the chance for Ai-Ai to reclaim the throne that people say was taken away from her as the Comedy Queen. Thirdly, [Aldub is] not just a love team, they’re a social phenomenon and that, prangkahan na tayo ha, wala akong inaasahang nominations sa Urian, wala akong inaasahang halikan ako ng mga critics, ang inaasam ko lang ay paligayahin ang napakaraming tao ng hindi iniinsulto ang kanilang katalinuhan." That last sentence earned him a lot of cheers.

Real courtship on the way?

Alden, on the other hand, said to expect a different set of jokes than the ones they use on air when they do the kalye-serye on TV. He also added, "Kami ni Maine, whatever we have now, we enjoy the most out of it. Kumbaga, there’s no pressure. Kaya we’re happy working with each other." 

At the moment, "We’re very close. Nakakatuwa. Since 'di ako nakarating sa Walk of Fame ceremony, kinuha n'ya yung award for me. Napakadaling kausap. A very raw, selfless, simple girl na madaling abutin." What's their current status? "Getting to know each other pa rin. It’s just been a month since Tamang Panahon and we only see each other through kalye-serye. And after that, we don’t have a chance to talk. Nagkikita lang kami sa shoots so there's a lot to know pa," he illustrated.

I seldom get to watch TV shows religiously nowadays. Work has taken precedence over much of my leisure time. A few years ago, however, I got hooked on Heroes, a series about ordinary people with special abilities. 

I guess the popularity of these kinds of shows is an indication of our continuous fascination with superhero themes and characters. And why not? It makes for great entertainment to see "what would happen next?" in every episode shown.

Heroes was somewhat a melting pot where you can "meet" a lot of individuals with various extraordinary capabilities. They range from the very young to senior citizens and go beyond race, color, and social status. I think, what made this show attractive to viewers is that, at one point or another, we can identify with one or more of the characters or are reminded of someone we know.

Thus, it was quite disappointing when the series abruptly ended after four seasons, just when the stories have become more and more interesting. By then, I've known the characters for a long time and knew I would miss seeing them -- Peter, Claire, Hiro, Ando, even Sylar -- on TV from then on.

So, I was really glad to find out some weeks back that creator and producer Tim Kring is bringing the series back with new characters and story lines. Yesterday, I joined other Heroes fans at the Solar Screening Room to watch the first two pilot episodes of Heroes Reborn on Jack TV.

A mind erased, a body of clues. That's the very intriguing tag line for Blindspot, a new series to premier on September 22 on Warner TV at 9:50PM. This show tells the story of a mysterious woman left inside a duffel bag in the middle of Times Square in New York City. The lady is completely naked but covered in hundreds of intricate tattoos. She doesn't know who she is and how she got there.

One tattoo, however, stood out from the rest -- the name of FBI agent Kurt Weller. Soon, Jane Doe (played by Jaimie Alexander, THOR) and the FBI realizes that each mark on her body leads to clues about a crime and her true identity. Weller (played by Sullivan Stapleton, Strike Back, 300: Rise of an Empire), along with his team and Assistant Director Mayfair (played by Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Without a Trace), then helps Jane piece her past together and solve a larger crime conspiracy one tattoo at a time. 

Another interesting twist is the revelation of Jane's kick-ass skills, one by one, without her understanding how she acquired them. Meanwhile, Weller strives to connect and figure out why they were put in each other's paths.

I can no longer remember what year our son with special needs got hooked on Hi-5. But I recall how we'd play the group's CDs over and over, every day, for months. We loved the original cast composed of Kathleen (a Filipina), Kellie, Charli, Tim, and Nathan. Expectedly, even my husband and I learned to sing most of their songs. 

Our James continued to love Hi-5 through the years. When the group had a show in SM Aura in 2013, we brought him there to see the new cast. Despite his not being able to talk, my son shows how much he appreciates listening to the upbeat songs and watching the dances by laughing out loud and staring at the TV screen with bright and happy eyes. 

Many of us love watching foreign and local TV shows and movies but rarely have time to really sit down during their actual airings. This is exactly why popular streaming site iWant TV was created to enable viewers to still catch up on shows they missed while they were busy with other things.

This March, viewers will no longer have to rely on their PCs or mobile devices to watch movies or their favorite cable TV and local shows because they can now directly stream them on their big HD-ready TV screen at home. SKYcable has just launched SKY On-Demand, which runs on the most advanced digibox to date.

This service harnesses the capabilities of SKYcable and SKYbroadband subscriptions to allow viewers to catch up on missed episodes or relive their favorite movies directly on TV. This is made possible by the impressive and growing video-on-demand library of iWant TV.

The 1990s was memorable for me for many reasons. It is the decade where I graduated from college, found my first job, got married, and had all my four kids. In between working for a living and raising a family, my husband and I got to appreciate a lot of things that this decade brought.

National Geographic Channel (NGC) pays tribute to the 90s by coming up with a new series that will remind viewers of a golden decade of technological, political, and entertainment milestones. My most memorable ones, I guess, would have to be watching Friends and Ally McBeal. 

Last week, NatGeo heralded the premier of The '90s: The Decade That Connected Us with a fun party at the Samsung Hall in SM Aura. Guests got to enjoy music from the era while the first episode of the TV series was also being aired. Cosplayers dressed in 'popular 90s characters made the photo ops more engaging.

The '90s series features the biggest newsmakers that shocked, wowed, or changed the world and helped make it what it is today. Some of the things you'll expect to see include the popularity of grunge music, the advent of Viagra, a salacious White House scandal, innovations in personal computers, and various episodes of political upheavals around the globe.

This TV show basically looks back on various developments in history to show how the world reacted to the fledging reality of globalization, as we slowly learned how connected human beings were becoming despite geographical and cultural differences.

Memorable video footage were used to recall the spirit of the decade along with 120 interviews with unsung heroes behind riveting events in addition to well-known personalities in various fields. Hear what Courtney Love, Arsenio Hall, Vanilla Ice, Jerry Springer, Tony Blair, Colin Powell, Connie Chung, and Dan Rather had to say. These are celebrities whose voices will narrate the remarkable affairs that weave the story of this extraordinary decade.

This decade between the Cold War and the War on Terror saw numerous highs and lows as technology advanced the world into the digital age: Bill Clinton's promise of change as he became US president, the violent LA riots, Nelson Mandela's release from prison and rise as leader of South Africa, and the horrific civil war in Rwanda.

Remember, too, cultural benchmarks such as the TV show Friends and the Macarena dance, along with the first successful reality shows of The Real World and Jerry Springer, which paved the way for reality TV in succeeding years.

The '90s: The Decade That Connected Us serves as a guide as viewers navigate through this historical and nostalgic roller coaster ride so we may better grasp politics and the global culture in their current states, as well as understand ourselves.

Catch the series exclusively on National Geographic Channel every Thursday at 9PM beginning September 18, 2014.

  

Along with the rains that started coming in recent weeks, get ready for a new downpour of new shows as Cignal TV launched 6 exciting channels that will give viewers more reasons to stay home and avoid getting soaked outside.

Last May, the Direct-to-Home (DTH) pay TV provider launched Disney XD, first in HD in the Philippines. The channel is the new home of superheroes, action and adventure movies, anime shows, and comedy programs that have already begun to redefine heroism to today's young generation.

Just this July, the home entertainment innovator once again upgraded TV viewing by launching five more channels:

THRILL is for those who like watching anything on horror and suspense. So get your thrill on as this all-new channel features shows and movies 24/7 that will definitely make you jump out of your seats!

KIX gives your daily dose of high-octane and adrenaline pumping shows featuring combat sports, cutting edge reality, hit action series, and blockbuster movies. It is your 24/7 action entertainment authority.

TLC will get you ready to travel the world, explore different cultures, discover new things, and live the good life! Enjoy watching shows here such as Extreme Makeover: Weightloss Edition, Now Boarding Travel Series, Cake Boss, Project Runway, and more.

MTV PINOY celebrates music and Pinoy pride. The recently relaunched channel is Filipinos' go-to music TV station for everything OPM.  Refresh your eyes and ears with amazing tunes by local artists and other MTV specials.

ANIMAL PLANET uncovers a world of wonder and diversity as viewers discover new and amazing things about the world of animals.  Watching this channel will definitely be a fun learning experience for the whole family! 

Make sure you don’t miss all the fun and excitement these new channels can bring into your home. If you're not yet a Cignal TV subscriber, log onto www.cignal.tv to know more about its subscription packages.