Around GMA

WATCH: Fire hits community in Antipolo City
Farm to Table: (December 7, 2025) LIVE
Car driven by cop falls into ravine in Balamban, Cebu

Article Inside Page

Showbiz News

Despite Jose Rizal's novels previously being made into screen adaptations, 'Maria Clara at Ibarra' head writer Suzette Doctolero still chose to work on introducing 'Noli Me Tangere' and 'El Filibusterismo' to today's generation. Here's why:

Series head writer for Maria Clara at Ibarra Suzette Doctolero reveals that one of her reasons why she used the works of Jose Rizal, 'Noli Me Tangere' and “El Filibusterismo,' to create a new series, is because she thinks that they are still relevant in this time and age.

In an interview on 'The Howie Severino Podcast,' Suzette said that she, GMA Films and GMA Worldwide President Atty Annette Gozon Valdes, and GMA writer R.J. Nuevas were brainstorming for a new series when the idea popped out.

“Maraming nag-sasabi na mabigat so sabi ko, 'Tingnan natin, gawan natin ng paraan kung paano siya mai-introduce sa soap opera, maa-adapt sa soap opera na masasakyan ng masa, ng manonood, at mabibigyan siya ng bagong bihis,” Suzette said.

To do that, the series writer said they need to use the point of view of a Gen Z so that the character will be the one to tell the story to the audience in a way that they will understand.

When asked why she chose Rizal's works, she said that she has three reasons and one of them is, “Yung Noli at Fili ay relevant pa rin hanggang ngayon.”

“Pag binasa natin yung Noli, nagre-resonate pa rin siya ngayon sa mga pangyayari sa ating society,” she said.

She also mentioned that other people are saying that Filipinos do not love their country anymore after staying and living in other countries and her other reason for using Rizal's work is so that she can contribute to giving Filipinos reasons to love the country.

“Dapat ito yung ating motherland at dapat mahal natin kasi andaming bagay na dapat mahalin siya,” she said.

She added, “Dahil ang ganda ng ating history, ang ganda ng ating culture, andaming mga mabubuting tao, na mga bayani, na ipinanganak sa Pilipinas.”

Suzette's last reason was a personal one - she wanted her only son and the kids who watched the series to be proud of the work she's done.

“Para makita nila na tulong, hindi lang sa school, kundi yung television, yung soap opera, can be entertaining at the same time, pwede rin siyang informative at pwede rin siyang mapag-kunan ng medyo substantial na content,” she said.

TAKE A LOOK AT THE BEST MOMENTS FROM MARIA CLARA AT IBARRA: