Unlike the previous Christmas plugs ng GMA-7, hindi star power ang magiging focus ng station ID this year. Instead, the network recognizes the everyday deeds that make each and everyone of us a hero. Text by Jason Lim. Photos from GMA Network. "It's no secret na hindi naman 'yung usual celebratory ang ating [station ID] ngayon." Iyan ang sinabi ni Paul Ticzon, GMA Network Assistant Vice President for Post Production Operations Division and Director for the Christmas plug. Entitled PasaLove, GMA network's station ID for the holiday season focuses on the strength and charity everyday Filipinos showed during trying times, gaya nung kasagsagan ng mga Bagyong Ondoy, Pepeng at Santi. Mr. Ticzon shares that during Ondoy, binaha rin ang lugar kung saan siya nakatira. "I saw firsthand how complete strangers and neighbors risked lives to help others. The act of giving love, that act of passing love, I saw that firsthand kaya the theme of the station ID is very, very real to me." With this in mind, he stressed, "Visually, I wanted it to be as close to reality. We tried to be as true as possible." Ding Achacoso, Vice President for Post Production, who was the Director of Photography for the project echoed this sentiment. "We wanted to capture 'yung depression--what occurred because of the typhoons--and at the same time, show 'yung pagbangon, rising up after the storm, after the devastation." A particular vignette that captured this vision. "We come from a very dark, gloomy devastation, then all of a sudden, magla-light up 'yung buong church." Mr. Ticzon shared that one of the challenges was to recreate what happened at the height of the storms. "Kasi, siyempre tayo make-believe, sila real-life. We were really careful na hindi kami maka-perwisyo, maka-gulo o maka-offend ng mga tao na naranasan ‘yun sa totoong buhay," he explained. For him, the station ID is a celebration of our strength "that helps us through itong mga ganitong challenges--na ang sentro niyan is 'yung actual passing of love. "When I was there in the middle of Ondoy, I saw that and it really helped--'yung tinulungan ka physically, tinulungan ka spiritually and mentally nung pinapasang love sa 'yo ng mga tao. "That's what we want to celebrate here...It's to celebrate that we, as Filipinos, have the character in us--that we can pass that love, and together rise, that we can pull through whatever challenges that face us," he stressed. Dagdag ni Mr. Achacoso, "In spite of what has happened, there is always hope. We will all get over [what happened]. Ganoon naman ang mga Pilipino, very resilient," he said. He further noted that Filipinos are not afraid to face what really happened, but more importantly, are not afraid to hope that everything will get better. "Lahat may pag-asa." And in the network's Christmas Station ID, "we just try to capture it, reproduce it visually, and send out the message," he added. The team that created the PasaLove concept is composed of Vice President for Program Support Regie Bautista, Associate Creative Director Armie Herrera, Writer Sarah Manila, Writer-lyricist Candy delos Reyes, Artists Leo Alvarado and Manuel Edralin, Senior Project Manager Hasmin Marable and Project Manager Minette Lopez. The music was by Cecile Borja and performed by Aicelle Santos. Ingrid Navarro was the producer, Vince Gealogo was assistant director and Rodell Cruz was the Production Designer. Allyn de Ocampo, Javier Delgado and John Paul Arrojado comprised the post production pool. Hangga't pumipintig sa puso ang pag-ibig, sa pag-asa ito ay patuloy na mananalig. Salubungin natin ang Pasko sa GMA 2009 Christmas Station ID ngayong Sabado, sa Eat Bulaga. Pag-usapan ang Christmas Station ID ng GMA sa pinagandang iGMA Forum! Not yet a member? Register here!