ABS-CBN’s afternoon drama Kadenang Ginto ends its run with more than 330 episodes under its belt, but for people who will miss the tumultuous family drama with all its intrigues, fear not as the network has its newest series ready — this time taking a page out of Regal Entertainment’s Mano Po film series — featuring a Chinese-Filipino family whose members are fighting for one man’s love.

Love Thy Woman, directed by Jeffrey Jeturian, Andoy Ranay, and Jerry Lopez Sineneng, tells the story of billionaire taipan Adam Wong (played by Christopher de Leon), his two wives Lucy (Eula Valdes) and Kai (Sunshine Cruz), and how his two daughters Dana (Yam Concepcion) and Jia (Kim Chiu) get embroiled in a love affair with David (Xian Lim). Also in the cast are Zsa Zsa Padilla who plays David’s mother, and Ruffa Guttierez as Lucy’s protégé.

The main conflict starts at Dana and David’s wedding when a car accident leaves both injured and Dana in a coma. In the absence of her half-sister, Jia finds herself falling in love with David and he with her. Drama ensues once Dana wakes up, while the protégé. returns with her son in tow saying it’s time for her son to meet his father.

“We got inspiration from the Mano Po films, and for me personally, Crazy Rich Asians. The Filipino-Chinese culture is so colorful and I got inspiration on how they see business and love,” Mr. Sineneng said in the vernacular during a press conference on Jan. 24 at the ABS-CBN offices in Quezon City.

But unlike Mano Po films, Mr. De Leon said that Love Thy Woman, as a TV series, has a lot more scope.

“Adam Wong is a tycoon, he has an empire, so the scope of this film is so much bigger but the story is not the same, definitely,” said Mr. De Leon, who is a veteran of the Mano Po films. He starred in Mano Po 2: My Home (2003), Mano Po 3: My Love (2004), and Mano Po 6: A Mother’s Love (2009).

Ms. Padilla is herself no stranger to the film series — she acted alongside Mr. De Leon in Mano Po 2 and Mano Po 6 and starred in the spin-off comedy film Ako Legal Wife: Mano Po 4?! (2005).

Love Thy Woman starts airing on Feb. 10 on the Kapamilya Gold afternoon block on ABS-CBN and ABS-CBN HD (SkyCable ch. 167). — Zsarlene B. Chua

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