How did drama start in the Philippines?

Answer 1

Philippine drama can be classified into different forms and genres, with the most popular being the teleserye and teledrama. The teleserye/teledrama is a television form of melodramatic serialized fiction. It is rooted from two words: "tele", which is short for "television," and "serye", a Tagalog term for "series" and "drama" for drama. Teleserye is now used as the generic term for most Filipinosoap operas on television, although the term officially came into existence in 2000 when Philippine network ABS-CBN aired its first official form of teleserye, Pangako Sa 'Yo. Prior to this, Filipino Soap Operas were called either "telenovelas" (and some are still referred to as such) and "soap operas". But as of 2010, GMA Network officially uses teledrama as their form of Philippine TV Series that is drama related.

Teleseryes share some characteristics and have similar roots with classic soap operas and telenovelas, yet the teleserye has evolved into a genre with its own unique characteristics, often working as a reflection of the social realism of the Filipinos. Teleseryes are aired in prime-time five days a week, and often replays during weekends. They attract a broad audience which crosses age and gender lines, and they command the highest advertising rates in Philippine television. They last anywhere from three months to a year, or even longer, depending on its rating.

Teleseryes/Teledramas are currently produced by ABS-CBN, TV5, and GMA Network. They are usually co-produced by TAPE Inc., and film studio, VIVA Entertainment.

Other forms of Philippine dramas include serials and anthologies, which are usually shown on a weekly basis. These dramas are also intended to air a finite number of episodes usually lasting one season depending on the ratings.

Answer 2

Drama is believed to have begun with the ancient Greeks. The word 'drama' actually comes from a Greek word meaning 'to act; perform'. There are instances of Greek plays still existing from 400 BC, but drama was known to exist before then. Egyptan hieroglyphs dating to before 2500 BC show examples of dance and music in performance, though their Egyptian name for them would not have been 'drama'.