Yesterday, we were treated to a high nostalgia, as ABS-CBN unveiled their summer station ID. In celebration of their 60th year of broadcast, it was a nice throwback from the early days of the station up until its footing now as the biggest and most celebrated network in the country. During the 2000s, coming up with themed stations IDs have also been an “it thing” for TV stations to do, and it was ABS-CBN who revived (if not started) the trend back in 2002. Now sit back and enjoy a trip back to memory lane, as we visit all ten of their summer themed station IDs.
All videos are credited to the YouTube account of ABSCBN Official. Thanks! 
2002: Saya ng Summer
ABS-CBN’s first summer station ID eleven years ago was a breakthrough for many reasons. For one, it was the only summer ID that has an English song to incorporate it via Roselle Nava’s Free. In this video, the major theme involves all Kapamilya stars pulling off a big rope that will later be revealed as a huge kite carrying the official theme “Saya ng Summer“. Watching this video now makes us miss the likes of Comedy King Dolphy, Carding Castro (of the Reycards duo), and heartthrob Rico Yan.
Notable highlights: The Hunks (composed of Piolo Pascual, Jericho Rosales, Diether Ocampo, Bernard Palanca, and Carlos Agassi) in one group shot, veteran actresses Helen Gamboa, Caridad Sanchez, Isabel Rivas and Pinky Marquez hitting the gym, and the original F ladies Angel Aquino, Daphne Osena, and Cher Calvin playing water guns.
2004: Sabay Summer Tayo Kapamilya
Two years after their first station ID, the second one was a throwback to the games of the Filipino kids during summer such as those of piko, patintero, and tumbang preso among others. Notable inclusions this year include Dong Puno, Gary Valenciano, and Cesar Montano.
Notable highlights: Boy Abunda and Kris Aquino playing Chinese garter, Aga Muhlach and Edu Manzano playing teks, and a finale shot with the King of Comedy Dolphy
2005: Iba Ka-Summer ang Kapamilya
For 2005, the station ID involved different Kapamilya stars playing different summer items as musical instruments. For the most part, the music were just beats until the catchy “Kasummer mo…Kapamilya mo” enters the scene until that hooking whistle by Dolphy in the end. For this year, Willie Revillame, Toni Gonzaga, and Anne Curtis join this annual tradition.
Notable highlights: Piolo Pascual playing drums while hanging on the side of a bridge, Marc Nelson and Dyan Castillejo’s creative way of crushing ice, and Dina Bonnevie’s sungka dance.
2007: Araw Natin To!
After skipping a summer station ID in 2006, the 2007 version involves a fun dance step that all Kapamilya stars were game to do including the Goin Bulilit kids up to Charo Santos Concio. It also involved lots of fun summer traditions and how to celebrate summer the creative way such as building sand castles from a construction building, sunbathing on roof tops, and the concept of province circumcision. Additional celebrities this year were the PBB teens including Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson, together with Pinoy Dream Academy singers from the first batch.
Notable highlights: The first inclusion of partners Ryan Agoncillo and Judy Ann Santos together, first appearance of the triumvirate friends Toni Gonzaga, Bianca Gonzales, and Mariel Rodriguez all in one shot, and the trio of comedy legends Maricel Soriano, Dolphy, and Susan Roces.
2008: One Team, One Summer
In 2008, the whole music was more into beats and syncs with a more “cheerdance” feel all over. Aside from the Kapamilya stars, most of the time, we were treated to a performance of the world class level greatness of the UP Pep Squad. Even the visuals used in this year’s summer station ID were more involved with prints and patterns in it.
Notable highlights: Kristine Hermosa clad in nothing but a bikini, the shot of Judy Ann Santos with an ocean backdrop, and then reel and real life couples Derek Ramsey and Angelica Panganiban with Jake Cuenca and Roxanne Guinoo.
2009: Galaw Galaw sa Tag-Araw
The following year is the start of the tailored theme songs for summer station IDs. With the famous foursome Kanto Boys (Billy Crawford, John Lloyd Cruz, Luis Manzano, and Vhong Navarro) in charge with the song this year, the video’s theme involves combination of worthy summer activities and environmental cause with most stars showing how to recycle and clean the environment. First timers this year include Lorna Tolentino, Gabby Concepcion, and Zaijan Jaranilla.
Notable highlights: Anne Curtis appearing ala Bond girl in a yellow suit, the reunion of Jericho Rosales and Kristine Hermosa, and the wacky presence of the Kanto Boys.
2010: Summer ang Simula
As the decade kicks in to a new start, the station ID has continued to be of great force in terms of themes and ideas. For this year, the production design was in full force with the Art Attack style of different summer ideas. It’s definitely one of the most inventive and imaginative approaches in their history of summer station IDs. For this particular year, they also incorporated the election theme since it was the year of national elections. Vice Ganda, Andi Eigenmann, and Charice all debuted their station ID appearances here.
Notable highlights: John Lloyd Cruz and Angel Locsin’s first appearance as a pair, a short haired Maja Salvador, and the comeback of Sharon Cuneta.
2011: Bida Best sa Tag-Araw
It was all bout reaching and following your dreams in the 2011 summer station ID, as Angeline Quinto (with the help of Vincent Bueno) sings the theme Bida Best sa Tag-Araw. They incorporated different extreme summer sports together with Kapamilya stars who are known to be associated with those sports such as Sam Milby’s motocross race and Diether Ocampo’s water sports. It also featured the giant trampoline used with all the high jumps by the biggest artists of the networks. This also marked the debut of Kathryn Bernardo and Julia Montes, Enrique Gil, and Dawn Zulueta’s summer station ID appearances.
Notable highlights: Luis Manzano’s muay thai skills, the sexy football game of Jake Cuenca and Alessandra de Rossi, and Zanjoe Marudo’s sexy painting skills.
2012: Pinoy Summer Da Best Forever
Offering a taste of the colorful Filipino traditions, the 2012 summer station ID showed the rich culture of the country via the different fiestas and festivals all over the country. Some of those featured were the ati-atihan festival, lechon festival, and bangus festival to name a few. And while Gerald Anderson’s rap parts were very thankless, it was an okay inclusion though Sarah Geronimo’s vocals can hold the song together. This year, Richard Gomez, Iza Calzado, and Paulo Avelino made their breakthrough.
Notable highlights: KC Concepcion’s fire dancing, Piolo Pascual’s more than ready summer “body”, and Iza Calzado’s entrance with a bang!
2013: Kwento ng Summer Natin
In celebration of ABS-CBN’s 60th anniversary, this year’s summer station ID is a throwback to the history of the TV station back from its heydays up to where it is now. Doing a homage of shows such as The Nida and Nestor Show, Chika Chika Chikks, Abangan ang Susunod na Kabanata, up to Pangako Sa’Yo and Meteor Garden, and incorporating some of the biggest trends that originated from the network such as I-Dawn Zulueta mo ko, otso-otso, and the Pinoy Ako dance made this one of the more memorable station IDs that they have ever produced. Richard Yap, Bamboo, and the Star Magic Batch 2013 are the newbies for this year’s station ID.
Notable highlights: The whole of Judy Ann Santos’ appearance, Angel Locsin’s Baywatch throwback, and the shot of Zsazsa Padilla juxtaposed with Dolphy’s picture.
There you have it! These station IDs have already proven how much they play a big part of our summers, as we anticipate its debut year in and year out. Among these ten, the station IDs from 2002, 2005, and 2013 were my favorites while 2008 and 2009 were my least liked years. How about you? Pipe them in below!
As always, you can follow me on Twitter: @nikowl
