Charo Santos and 31 letter senders bond during the MMK Grand Kumustahan

Charo Santos and 31 letter senders bond during the MMK Grand Kumustahan

Charo Santos reunited with some of Maalaala Mo Kaya’s letter senders before the show aired its last episode.

Maalaala Mo Kaya, Asia’s longest running drama anthology, has come to a close. It began its run in 1991 and aired its last episode on December 10, 2022.

Maalaala Mo Kaya has been a household staple for the past 31 years. Every week, many Filipinos shared tears and smiles as they listened to its host, Charo Santos, read another story that was sure to pull on one’s heartstrings.

“Hindi na po mabilang ang nasalaysay na kuwento dito sa ‘MMK’ — mga kuwentong totoo, mga salamin ng sarili ninyong buhay na nagbigay ng aral at ng panibagong pag-asa,” said Charo in her farewell message.

That was what made Maalaala Mo Kaya so special. It was a platform for real people to share their real stories. Ordinary people trusted the show to give their story justice and treat it with the respect it deserved. Viewers looked forward to stories that perhaps resonated with their own, or at the very least, allowed them to empathize with another’s journey.

Before the final episode aired, a special two-hour ”MMK Grand Kumustahan” was held where Charo was reunited with 31 of the many letter senders who have shared their stories with her.

Kapamilya actress Dimples Romana joined Charo in hosting the heartwarming get-together. In an intimate setting, Charo and Dimples were able to have a personal conversation with each of the letter senders. They shared how Maalaala Mo Kaya changed their lives, and they also gave some updates on how they were doing now.

Another interesting part of the special was when Charo and Dimples took a walk down memory lane and revisited some of its memorable stories. This included episodes such as “Garapon” starring Carlo Aquino and Jaclyn Jose, “Regalo” starring Vilma Santos-Recto and Maja Salvador, “Courageous Catie” starring Shaina Magdayao and JC de Vera, and “Balsa” starring Zanjoe Marudo.

Maalaala Mo Kaya will also be missed by the actors themselves. To be invited to lead or even just be part of an MMK episode was a dream for many actors, newbies and veterans alike. While challenging given the responsibility of representing real people plus the show’s tradition of excellence, it was considered a golden opportunity to hone their artistry and be part of a high quality production.

The show itself will have another run, as it will be airing in 41 African countries starting January 23. In fact, Charo has been quite busy dubbing the episodes in English. In addition, Maalaala Mo Kaya is also an optional in-flight entertainment program for some international airlines like Etihad Airways, Royal Brunei Airlines, and Saudi Arabian Airlines.

As for Charo, she has admitted to wanting to work on more shows and movies.

She already had a successful grand comeback to the silver screen with the film Kun Maupay Man It Panahon, which garnered her many nominations and awards. Charo will soon be working with Kapuso actor Dingdong Dantes on a project that she revealed was three years in the making.

Charo was also able to join FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano earlier this year, and will soon work with Coco Martin once more in the upcoming series FPJ’s Batang Quiapo, which will also star Kapamilya actress Lovi Poe. It will be produced by Dreamscape Entertainment and CCM Film Productions.