Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho’s Halloween Special “Gabi ng Lagim VI” was the most-watched program as well as the most-talked about topic on social media last Sunday (Oct. 28).
Hosted by internationally-awarded broadcast journalist and GMA News pillar Jessica Soho, KMJS’s Halloween special recorded an overnight people audience rating of 14.4 percent in National Urban Television Audience Measurement (NUTAM), based on data from Nielsen TV Audience Measurement. It lorded over counterpart shows Rated K and I Can See Your Voice, which only managed to get 8.0 percent and 5.0 percent, respectively.
A few days ahead of the show’s airing, the online community was abuzz with excitement as netizens anticipate what KMJS had prepared for its Halloween Special. The hashtag “KMJSGabiNgLagimVI” became the Philippines’ top trending topic on Twitter just a few seconds after the program aired. It even hit the worldwide Twitter trends, peaking at number three among the top trending topics.
Since 2013, “Gabi ng Lagim” has become the most awaited horror anthology on Philippine TV. Going beyond the ordinary re-telling of spooky and mysterious stories, “Gabi ng Lagim” commissioned seasoned TV and film directors to depict real-life accounts into documentary-films. Last Sunday’s special featured the works of esteemed GMA Public Affairs directors Rember Gelera, Adolfo Alix, Jr., Aaron Pappins Mendoza, and Zig Dulay. KMJS also tapped paranormal investigator Ed Caluag in investigating some of the featured strange incidents.
KMJS’ “Gabi ng Lagim VI” featured stories on the various ghost encounters in Manila City Hall as told by some of its employees; Aklan’s horror story of the undead or Amaranhig; the haunted hospital in Pampanga; and the unique premonitions and ability to predict future events of Jay Costura.
The Halloween special also saw the special participation of Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros lead actor Nathan Lopez who portrayed Jay, and Ika-5 Utos star Inah de Belen, who appeared in the Haunted Hospital docu-film. Inah is the daughter of veteran actress Janice de Belen, who starred in the ‘90s horror film Anak ni Janice. Eat Bulaga mainstay Maine Mendoza, meanwhile, joined in the fun online when a netizen pointed out that it was her who was one of the undead in the docu-film Amaranhig. Maine half-jokingly tweeted she had to do a cameo to earn extra money but later clarified that it was not her in the scene.
