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Why the 2022 ABS-CBN Christmas ID took us to church

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Anjo Bagaoisan, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Still from CID 2022 Regine V raising her hands during bridge - 10:49 TC in main CID - U] Caption: Regine Velasquez delivers the high note at the end of the bridge of the 2022 ABS-CBN Christmas ID “Tayo Ang Ligaya Ng Isa’t Isa”. Photo courtesy: ABS-CBN" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/entertainment/12/24/abs-cbn-christmas-id-12242022.jpg"/><figcaption>Still from CID 2022 Regine V raising her hands during bridge - 10:49 TC in main CID - U] Caption: Regine Velasquez delivers the high note at the end of the bridge of the 2022 ABS-CBN Christmas ID “Tayo Ang Ligaya Ng Isa’t Isa”. <em>Photo courtesy: ABS-CBN</em></figcaption></figure></div><p><br/>MANILA — Many first-time listeners of ABS-CBN’s 2022 Christmas ID “Tayo Ang Ligaya Ng Isa’t Isa” did not expect where the song would take them—a ride that went from an acoustic opening to a soaring ensemble anthem repeating till the end.</p><p>The peak of that ride was a choir-led refrain of “Praise our God, Hallelujah!” capped by Regine Velasquez hitting the tune’s highest note.</p><p>The exclamations are more common to hymns and to church than to contemporary holiday jingles like ABS-CBN’s annual offerings.</p><p>But for the song&#x27;s composers Robert Labayen and Jonathan Manalo, this “surprise” gift to Kapamilyas was very much by design in both its message and sound.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/12/16/22/50-abs-cbn-singers-in-new-version-of-2022-christmas-id-song">WATCH: Jamie Rivera, BINI join over 50 ABS-CBN Music artists for 2022 Christmas ID song&#x27;s extended cut</a></li></ul><p>Their inspiration: the hiphop track &quot;Joyful, Joyful&quot; from the movie &quot;Sister Act 2”, with a contemporary hit of praise-and-worship music. </p><p>“Consciously, ‘yon ang peg, na parang ito ang part na &#x27;Joyful, Joyful&#x27;… Let’s bring everyone to church sa part na ito,” Manalo, creative director of ABS-CBN Music, told ABS-CBN News in an interview.</p><p>“Hindi siya ang typical na kung ano ang formula na in-establish natin in the past Christmas IDs that we have released. Ano siya, something that is different. </p><p>“And at the same time nandoon pa rin ‘yong puso, and ‘yong pagbabalik natin ng meaning of Christmas sa totoong meaning ng Pasko, which is ‘yong pagkapanganak ni Jesus Christ which is our Lord and Savior,” he added.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uD7hDkB07q4?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><div><strong> REASON FOR THE SEASON</strong></div><p>Labayen said the divine has always had a place in the Kapamilya Christmas repertoire, which he first began producing as head of ABS-CBN Creative Communications Management (CCM) in 2004.</p><p>“When you talk about family and hope, there has to be God there,” he said in a separate interview.</p><p>ABS-CBN’s biggest Christmas hit in the past 20 years—“Bro, Ikaw Ang Star Ng Pasko” from 2009—used an endearment for Jesus Christ popularized by the teleserye “May Bukas Pa”.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/12/12/22/who-is-the-star-singer-of-abs-cbn-christmas-ids">Who is the &#x27;star&#x27; singer of ABS-CBN Christmas IDs?</a></li></ul><p>But the 2022 theme full-on leaned into the reason for the season with the gospel-styled bridge.</p><p>It’s also Labayen’s personal favorite portion of the song, which he said always gets him teared up.</p><p>“Ang message ng bridge natin ay ‘yong summary ng song. At ngayon ang summary ng song ay pasasalamat sa Diyos na pinagmulan ng lahat,” he said. </p><p>“Naisip ko naman para surprise sa audience, hindi pa nila narinig before sa [station ID] natin, gospel ang approach.”</p><p>He likened the idea to the well-received 20-language bridge conceived for the 2020 Christmas theme “Ikaw Ang Liwanag At Ligaya”.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/12/03/20/why-2020-abs-cbn-christmas-id-spreads-light-and-joy-in-not-just-2-but-20-languages">Why 2020 ABS-CBN Christmas ID spreads light and joy in not just 2 but 20 languages</a></li></ul><div><strong>FULL CIRCLE</strong></div><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="ABS-CBN Music creative director Jonathan Manalo and ABS-CBN CCM head Robert Labayen sit in at the recording sessions for the 2022 Christmas ID “Tayo Ang Ligaya Ng Isa’t Isa”, which they collaborated in composing. Photo by MJ Felipe, ABS-CBN News." src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/entertainment/12/24/abs-cbn-music-creative-director-12242022.jpg"/><figcaption>ABS-CBN Music creative director Jonathan Manalo and ABS-CBN CCM head Robert Labayen sit in at the recording sessions for the 2022 Christmas ID “Tayo Ang Ligaya Ng Isa’t Isa”, which they collaborated in composing. Photo by MJ Felipe, ABS-CBN News.</figcaption></figure></div><p>The 2022 Christmas ID served as Manalo’s debut in the genre and also coincided with his 20th anniversary as a music producer in ABS-CBN.</p><p>He said he became emotional as he first read what Labayen wrote—particularly the allusion to ABS-CBN’s challenges and the crises many Filipinos have faced in recent years.</p><p>“Nakaka-relate ako bilang isang Kapamilya, ‘yong lyrics na ‘Anumang hadlang, ito’y pagsubok lang, we do what’s good and pray’,” he said.</p><p>“After sabihin ‘yon sa lyrics, binabalik natin lahat kay Lord, ‘di ba, parang, ‘OK Lord, ikaw na ang bahala. And we will just worship you’… At the end of the day, Siya naman ang may hawak ng lahat.”</p><p>The song also came full circle for Manalo, who started out writing gospel songs before his break into the mainstream after winning the “Jam: Himig Handog sa Kabataan” songwriting contest in 2001.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/10/07/22/jonathan-manalo-is-most-streamed-pinoy-songwriter-producer-on-spotify">Jonathan Manalo is most streamed Pinoy songwriter, producer on Spotify</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/06/22/22/meet-mr-music-how-jonathan-manalo-reached-400-recorded-songs">400 recorded songs and counting: Why Jonathan Manalo is called ‘Mr. Music’</a></li></ul><p>While having worked behind the scenes for the recording of previous Christmas IDs, he said he was not originally tapped for this year’s song.</p><p>He recalled he was only asked to come in after none of the early compositions had been approved.</p><p>“Sanay ako gumawa ng theme songs ng shows natin, pero sa totoo lang, sobrang pressure for me to tackle, to handle ‘yong Christmas ID natin kasi alam ko kung gaano siya inaabangan at gaano napamahal sa maraming Pilipino ‘yong mga previous IDs natin,” Manalo said.</p><p>“Pero na-excite ako at the same time, finally magkakaroon ako ng chance na gumawa ng Christmas ID.”</p><p>The varying flow of the music, which Manalo described as “progressive” and “unpredictable”, came about as an offshoot of the lyrics’ “unusual” structure.</p><p>Labayen said ABS-CBN chief operating officer for broadcast Cory Vidanes, who wanted a catchy, emotional, yet upbeat Christmas theme, liked the chorus and hook from Manalo’s first study and approved it at once.</p><p>Three more revisions were made to the lyric portions before the full song was given the go, Manalo said.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/entertainment/10/26/22/silipin-recording-ng-2022-abs-cbn-christmas-station-id">Kapamilya stars sanib-pwersa sa recording ng 2022 ABS-CBN Christmas ID</a></li></ul><div><strong> GRATITUDE TO AUDIENCES</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wyDDUT1vsMU?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><p>At first, the 2022 Christmas theme planned to center on bringing back the joy of Christmas after 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic, Labayen said.</p><p>But he said ABS-CBN president and CEO Carlo Katigbak wanted the company’s message to focus on gratitude, especially to loyal audiences.</p><p>“So ang ginawa namin, may pasasalamat—hindi lang sa audience, kundi pasasalamat sa lahat ng taong naging mabait sa atin at siyempre sa Diyos,” Labayen said.</p><p>“Kaya nabuhay ‘yong theme na ‘Tayo ang Ligaya ng Isa’t Isa’, kasi tayo ang nag-aakayan, hindi tayo nag-iiwanan.”</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/10/24/22/wearing-rgb-shirts-abs-cbn-leaders-reveal-2022-christmas-id">Wearing RGB shirts, ABS-CBN leaders reveal 2022 Christmas ID theme during &#x27;It&#x27;s Showtime&#x27; visit</a></li></ul><p>While they leave it to audiences to rank “Tayo Ang Ligaya” in the hall of iconic ABS-CBN Christmas jingles, both composers see this year’s song as still inclusive and relatable even for non-Christian viewers.</p><p>“We’re just telling the story of Christmas,” Manalo said. </p><p>“Hindi mo naman kailangan maging Christian to appreciate the love and the message of Christ na gusto nating ikuwento at i-share sa buong mundo.”</p><p>Labayen said he is buoyed by the positive reception the Christmas songs still receive. </p><p>“Nakakatuwa, kasi hindi pa rin kumukupas ang appeal nito sa kapwa Pilipino natin,” he said. “Na-o-own nila ‘yong kanta kasi it’s not about ABS-CBN, kundi tungkol sa kanila ‘yon.”</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/life/11/11/22/alam-nyo-ba-kuwento-sa-likod-ng-abs-cbn-christmas-ids">Alam N&#x27;yo Ba: Kuwento sa likod ng ABS-CBN Christmas IDs</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS:</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-TH3hjhZs7c?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; 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The song's composers say this 'surprise' gift to Kapamilya viewers this Christmas was very much by design in both its message and sound.

Why the 2022 ABS-CBN Christmas ID took us to church

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Why the 2022 ABS-CBN Christmas ID took us to church

Anjo Bagaoisan,

ABS-CBN News

Published December 24, 2022 01:35 PM PHT

Read More:

ABS-CBN Christmas ID

ABS-CBN Christmas station ID

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Robert Labayen

Jonathan Manalo

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