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From the time it premiered on GMA-7 last December 7, I gradually got hooked to the first-ever Christmaserye which takes its title from the popular Ariel Rivera Christmas ditty “Sana Ngayong Pasko” or roughly translated to English as “Hopefully, this Christmas.”

I don’t normally get enticed by mushy teledramas, but this one has got the right blend of drama and humor all rolled up to capture the holiday spirit while emphasizing on love, forgiveness and strong family values.

Yes, Susan Roces has already aged a lot and it shows. This is the main reason why she fits the role of Remedios to a T. She plays a married woman who abandoned her husband and children to be with the real love of her life. Decades later, she returns to the same home to re-connect and make amends with her children (and grandchildren) who either welcomed or abhored her re-appearance. The twist in the Christmaserye is that Remedios is afflicted with a disease that slowly erases her memory. She wants to gain the forgiveness of her family and spend whatever is left of her life in their company or at least before her memory of them is completely gone.

Try catching “Sana Ngayong Pasko” on GMA-7 from Mondays-to-Fridays after Full House. This is just a short series that will last till the first week of January 2010.

Below is part of the first episode aired last December 7.

video courtesy of YouTube/almayben

Sana Ngayong Pasko stars Ms. Susan Roces, Christopher de Leon, Gina Alajar, TJ Trinidad, JC de Vera, Maxene Magalona, JC Tiuseco, Ynna Asistio and Dante Rivero, with the special participation of Carmina Villaroel, Zoren Legaspi and Jomari Yllana.