Philippines – Many were left in tears and even more wanted to send their ‘I love you’ messages to their moms. This was how Filipino viewers experienced a rollercoaster of emotions when Philippine top-rating afternoon drama The Greatest Love aired its finale on Friday, April 21.
The ABS-CBN-produced drama affected many of its viewers as it told the unforgettable story of Gloria Alegre, played by award-winning veteran actress Sylvia Sanchez, who gave her all just to keep her family intact while suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease.
The finale episode scored 17.3% in national TV ratings compared to its rival in the afternoon block with only 11.2%. It was also a top trending topic on Twitter Philippines and elicited various praises from netizens.
“Full of life realization and lessons. It is indeed an unforgettable finale. One of the best teleserye of ABS-CBN. #TGLTheUnforgettableFinale,” said Twitter user @PrinceMarkkiRN.
For seven months, viewers religiously followed Gloria’s bravely battle with her sickness as she struggled to bring together her children Amanda, Paeng , Andrei, and Lizelle and how they settled their differences so that they could take care of their mother, who little by little lost her memories of them. Viewers also followed how she fought to be with her one true love Peter. The struggles Gloria faced represented the strength that Filipino mothers have for their families, as she devoted her days to giving her family a better life.
The Greatest Love is a first-of-its-kind on Philippine television as it used the narrative form to bring awareness to viewers on what Alzheimer’s disease is and what a patient with this condition is going through. It also opened the mind of viewers to the impact of the disease on the lives of families.