Frontline Pilipinas

Frontline Pilipinas
Title card since 2025
Genre
Created byTV5 Network
Directed byBenedict Carlos
Presented by
Narrated by
Theme music composer
  • Michael Llave (2020–25)
  • Jimmy Antiporda (since 2025)
Opening theme
  • "Frontline Pilipinas" theme music (2020–25)
  • "Aksyon" theme music (2010–17 arrangement; since 2025)
Country of originPhilippines
Original languageTagalog
Production
Executive producerRyan Juego
Production locationsTV5 News (formerly News5) Studio, TV5 Media Center, Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila, Philippines
Camera setupMultiple-camera setup
Running time90 minutes (early-night weeknights)
60 minutes (weekend edition)
45 minutes (weekdays afternoons, late-night weeknights (except Wednesdays), Saturday afternoons)
30 minutes (late-morning weekdays, Una sa Lahat, Wednesday late-night)
150 minutes (early-morning weekdays)
Production companyTV5 News
Original release
NetworkTV5
ReleaseOctober 5, 2020 (2020-10-05) –
present
Related

Frontline Pilipinas (lit. 'Frontline Philippines') is a Philippine television news broadcasting show broadcast by TV5, with simulcast on RPTV since 2024. Originally anchored by Raffy Tulfo and Cheryl Cosim, it premiered on October 5, 2020, replacing Aksyon. Cosim and Julius Babao currently serve as the anchors.

History

2020–2021: Tulfo-Cosim era

Frontline Pilipinas premiered on October 5, 2020, at 6:30 pm PHT with Raffy Tulfo and Cheryl Cosim as original anchors, along with former News5 (now TV5 News) chief Luchi Cruz-Valdes, News5 and One News' chief correspondent Ed Lingao, and Lourd de Veyra as segment anchors for Deretsahan, NEWS ExplainED, and Word of the Lourd, respectively. The program serves as the replacement to TV5's longest-running flagship newscast Aksyon, which ended abruptly on March 16, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the enforcement of enhanced community quarantine in Luzon, as well as the simulcast of two One-branded newscasts (One News Now of One News and One PH's One Balita Pilipinas) on TV5. The following week, the program moved to 6:00 PM timeslot to give way for the 2020 PBA Philippine Cup and new primetime programming.

On February 15, 2021, athlete and TV host Gretchen Ho joined the newscast as "Sports" segment anchor (alongside joining The Big Story on One News). On February 22, 2021, the program extended its running time to one hour and 15 minutes as part of TV5's programming changes.

Tulfo's departure

On October 1, 2021, Raffy Tulfo bid farewell to the newscast to run for senator in 2022.

Julius Babao was named as Tulfo's replacement, joining the newscast on February 7, 2022. In conjunction with this, Frontline Pilipinas also debuted its new opening billboard, title card, and graphics. Babao was originally to make his debut on January 17, but was postponed due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases brought by the omicron variant. Ed Lingao and Paolo Bediones took over as interim anchors of the newscast. On May 22, 2023, the newscast was extended to 90 minutes.

On January 8, 2024, Jiggy Manicad joined the newscast, becoming its first third main anchor. It also marked his return to journalism, after a nearly six-year hiatus.

From March 8, 2025, beginning with its weekend edition, all of the newscast's edition (with exception of News5 Alerts (now Frontline Alerts) until June 8, 2025) silently dropped its original theme music and began adopting the composition used by its predecessor program Aksyon from 2010 to 2017 throughout its broadcasts for unknown reasons, sharing the music with TV5's affiliate in Zamboanga City for its regional newscast Dateline Zamboanga.

A week later, the newscast transitioned to a temporary studio set, as its current news studio underwent renovations in preparation for the Bilang Pilipino 2025 mid-term election coverage. On April 29, the graphics were updated, starting with the morning edition of Frontline Express. On May 10, the newscast returned to its newly renovated News5 Studio, ahead of the Bilang Pilipino 2025 midterm election coverage. The same day also marked the rollout of updated graphics.

On May 16, Manicad made his final appearance on the newscast to become the anchor of its lead-in, Una sa Lahat, previously a segment of the newscast. On May 19, it was shortened to 45 minutes to make way for Una sa Lahat and Ang Mutya ng Section E. Beginning August 25, Babao took a leave from the newscast amid an investigation into the Discaya interviews; various male anchors rotated to fill his spot. Then, from September 29, 2025, to January 1, 2026, it was expanded to an hour due to primetime programming changes. Beginning January 2 to September 4, 2026, Frontline Pilipinas was expanded to 1 hour and 45 minutes, following the end of the 5-year content partnership with ABS-CBN to air its primetime programs. It was then temporarily shortened to 1 hour and 15 minutes from September 7 to October 16, 2026; Una sa Lahat was temporarily shortened to 15 minutes. Then, starting October 19, 2026, after the rerun of Minute to Win It has ended, Una sa Lahat is lengthened to 30 minutes and airs from 6:00 PM to 6:30 PM, followed by Frontline Pilipinas, which is also lengthened to 90 minutes and airs from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM, to rival two other primetime newscasts, TV Patrol and 24 Oras.

Newscast editions

Frontline Sa Umaga (Morning edition)

Frontline sa Umaga (lit. transl. Frontline in the Morning), a morning edition of Frontline Pilipinas, aired on TV5 from May 10, 2021, to June 16, 2023, with Paolo Bediones and Marga Vargas as its original anchors. It is currently anchored by Ed Lingao, Dimples Romana, Andrei Felix, and Angela Lagunzad-Castro, with segments hosted by Maoui David, Chiqui Roa-Puno, and Ted Failon at DJ Chacha sa True FM anchors Ted Failon and Czarina "DJ Chacha" Guevara. The newscast was revived as a standalone show for a third time on August 10, 2026.

Frontline Express (AM and PM edition)

A fast-paced newscast premiered on April 8, 2024. Its main anchors are Ruth Cabral (weekday afternoons) and Nikki de Guzman (weekday mornings and Saturday afternoons).

Frontline Tonight (Late Night edition)

A late night newscast premiered on September 27, 2021 replacing Aksyon Tonite. with Ed Lingao and Maeanne Los Baños as its original anchors. Los Baños and Lourd de Veyra. currently serve as the anchors.

Frontline Pilipinas Weekend (Weekend edition)

On July 20, 2025, its Sunday edition was shortened to 15 minutes and aired from 5:50 pm to 6:05 pm due to the delayed broadcast of Pacquiao vs. Barrios earlier that day.Frontline Pilipinas Weekend is currently anchored by Nikki de Guzman and Andrei Felix.

Frontline Alerts (News bulletin)

Frontline Alerts (formerly News5 Alerts) is a news bulletin aired on TV5 launched on October 6, 2020, anchored by various TV5 News anchors. Currently it is airing on Sundays. Before the launch of Frontline Express, it airs daily on mid-mornings and mid-afternoons.

Accolades

Frontline Pilipinas received nominations for Best News Program and Best Female Newscaster (Cosim) at the 35th PMPC Star Awards for Television.

Notes

  1. ↑ The newscast is also broadcast on One PH and RPTV.

References

  1. ↑ Frontline Pilipinas Weekend Rewind | September 5, 2026. Retrieved September 5, 2026 – via YouTube.
  2. ↑ "TV5 launches newest primetime newscast 'Frontline Pilipinas'". Manila Bulletin. September 30, 2020. Archived from the original on June 22, 2021. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Seasoned broadcast journalists play frontliners in new primetime newscast". Manila Standard. Archived from the original on October 31, 2020. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
  4. ↑ Neil (October 5, 2020). "TV5 launches flagship news program Frontline Pilipinas". BusinessWorld. Archived from the original on May 12, 2021. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
  5. ↑ LIVE: Frontline Pilipinas Mediacon, September 30, 2020, archived from the original on February 16, 2022, retrieved May 12, 2021
  6. ↑ Aksyon Primetime. News5 YouTube Channel. March 16, 2020. Archived from the original on April 4, 2023. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  7. ↑ Frontline Pilipinas, magbabalita na dito sa TV5!, October 4, 2020, archived from the original on February 16, 2022, retrieved March 27, 2021
  8. ↑ Frontline Pilipinas | October 9, 2020, October 9, 2020, archived from the original on November 19, 2020, retrieved March 27, 2021
  9. ↑ "Mas pinaaga na ang pagsagap mo ng latest balita't impormasyon, dahil mapapapanood mo na ang Frontline Pilipinas, weekdays at 6 PM dito sa TV5!". Twitter. Archived from the original on October 6, 2020. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Simula sa Lunes, February 15, makakasama na natin si Gretchen Ho sa #FrontlinePilipinas dito lang sa TV5!". Twitter. Archived from the original on May 12, 2021. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Catch Gretchen Ho sa Frontline Pilipinas at abangan din ang 'English Only Please' sa unang gabi ng ating Primetime Sine Festival sa TV5!". Twitter. Archived from the original on February 22, 2021. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  12. ↑ Gabinete, Jojo (September 20, 2021). "Raffy Tulfo, nagpaalam sa TV5 para tumakbo sa 2022 elections". Philippine Entertainment Forum. Archived from the original on March 12, 2022. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Tulfo files COC for senator, vows to create laws". Manila Bulletin. October 2, 2021. Archived from the original on October 2, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  14. ↑ Gabinete, Jojo. "Julius Babao, excited na sa pagsisimula sa Frontline Pilipinas sa February". Philippine Entertainment Forum (in Filipino). Archived from the original on February 8, 2022. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
  15. ↑ Serato, Arniel. "Julius Babao's debut on Frontline Pilipinas postponed due to COVID surge". Philippine Entertainment Forum. Archived from the original on January 23, 2022. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Frontline Pilipinas - January 17, 2022". YouTube. January 17, 2022. Archived from the original on January 23, 2022. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  17. ↑ Baylon, Khryzztine Joy (December 7, 2023). "From Kapuso to Kapatid: Jiggy Manicad joins TV5 as anchor of Frontline Pilipinas". Philippine Entertainment Portal. Metro News Central. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
  18. ↑ Frontline Pilipinas Weekend | March 8, 2025. Retrieved March 11, 2025 – via www.youtube.com.
  19. ↑ Frontline Weekend Livestream | March 15, 2025 (in Filipino). Retrieved March 15, 2025 – via YouTube.
  20. ↑ Frontline Express Livestream | April 29, 2025 | 2:30 P.M. (in Filipino). Retrieved April 30, 2025 – via YouTube.
  21. ↑ Frontline Express Livestream | April 29, 2025 | 5:05 P.M. (in Filipino). Retrieved April 30, 2025 – via YouTube.
  22. ↑ News5Everywhere (May 10, 2025). Frontline Weekend Livestream | May 10, 2025. Retrieved July 29, 2025 – via YouTube.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  23. ↑ "Julius Babao "on leave" sa primetime news program ng TV5 sa gitna ng isyu". PEP.ph (in Filipino). Philippine Entertainment Portal, Inc. August 25, 2025. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
  24. ↑ Frontline Pilipinas Rewind | September 1, 2025 #FrontlineRewind. Retrieved January 7, 2026 – via YouTube.
  25. ↑ Frontline Pilipinas Rewind | January 2, 2026 #FrontlineRewind. Retrieved January 7, 2026 – via YouTube.
  26. ↑ Una sa Lahat Rewind | October 16, 2026 #UnaSaLahatRewind. Retrieved October 16, 2026 – via YouTube.
  27. ↑ Frontline Pilipinas Rewind | October 16, 2026 #FrontlineRewind. Retrieved October 16, 2026 – via YouTube.
  28. ↑ Una sa Lahat Rewind | October 19, 2026 #UnaSaLahatRewind. Retrieved October 19, 2026 – via YouTube.
  29. ↑ Frontline Pilipinas Rewind | October 19, 2026 #FrontlineRewind. Retrieved October 19, 2026 – via YouTube.
  30. ↑ "Paolo Bediones, nagbabalik sa TV5 para sa 'Frontline sa Umaga'" [Paolo Bediones, returns to TV5 with 'Frontline on Mornings'] (in Filipino). News5 Everywhere on YouTube. April 29, 2021. Archived from the original on April 29, 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
  31. ↑ "Paolo Bediones, kabado sa pagbabalik-TV niya pagkatapos ng limang taon". PEP.ph. Archived from the original on May 10, 2021. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  32. ↑ "TV5 REVAMPS MORNING AND LATE-NIGHT NEWS LINEUP STARTING AUGUST 10". MediaBytes. Retrieved August 10, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  33. ↑ Frontline Pilipinas Weekend Rewind | July 20, 2025. Retrieved July 20, 2025 – via YouTube.
  34. ↑ Gonzales, Rommel (January 18, 2023). "35th Star Awards for TV list of nominees is out; alin kaya ang tatanghaling Best TV Station?" [35th Star Awards for TV nominees list is out; which one will be voted Best TV Station?]. Philippine Entertainment Portal. Archived from the original on January 19, 2023. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  35. ↑ Mallorca, Hannah (January 29, 2023). "35th PMPC Star Awards for Television unveils list of winners". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on January 29, 2023. Retrieved March 19, 2023.