A new wave of storytelling has arrived in the Philippines, and it’s shorter, sharper, and made for the screen in everyone’s hands. Cignal Play Microdrama — the latest innovation from Smart’s entertainment digital platform — has introduced vertical video dramas, with each episode streaming under five minutes.
Cedrick Juan TMT PHOTOS
This move compellingly signals the formal entry of microdramas into the Filipino entertainment landscape.
Launched in July through a cleverly immersive media experience, the vertical video platform brings the Filipino audience a form of storytelling that has taken China, the US, and even parts of Europe by storm.
Alex Medina and Dawn Chang
With the meteoric rise of apps like ReelShort and Dashflix globally — where mobile-first, bite-sized stories hook audiences with binge-worthy emotion and pacing — it was only a matter of time before the Philippines caught on.
But what sets Cignal Play Microdrama apart is its Filipino heart. These shows don’t just borrow a format — they stamp our culture, emotion and humor into it. And our artists are responding.
Take “I See You,” a psychological thriller starring Dimples Romana as a high-powered woman who loses her sight only to begin “seeing” the betrayal of those closest to her, along with Cedrick Juan, Joem Bascon, Pearl Gonzales, Glenda Garcia, and Zion Cruz.
“It’s drama-suspense — and you can’t rely too much on visuals or effects to scare or surprise,” Cedrick shared in a one-on-one. “So you have to end high, every single episode, because you always have to end with a cliffhanger in this format.”
As for the acting style required by the vertical format, the award-winning actor of “GomBurZa” (2023) admitted he had to make slight adjustments from the usual TV and movie set.
“But nothing totally unfamiliar because I originally came from theater, and for the micro drama, it has to be heightened emotions like we do on stage,” Cedrick explained.
In fact, all four initial Cignal Play Microdrama Originals asked their actors to recalibrate their instincts. Alex Medina and Dawn Chang, co-stars in the poignant family drama “My Father’s Last Wish,” similarly shared how their director would tell them to deliver their emotions “plus 20 percent.”
“We’re talking about a bit more ‘give’ but not overacting,” Alex clarified. “Because with microdramas, you have to remember that attention spans are shorter so the excitement always has to be there.”
Pitching in, Dawn added, “We also had to adjust to having tighter shots. We’re usually shoulder to shoulder in many scenes [because of the vertical orientation], but once we got used to it, it really just makes for more intimate performances.”
“I agree,” Alex chimed in, “because the camera doesn’t let your acting get away with anything. You can’t get away with ‘just okay’ acting, because your audience is watching you so closely on their phones. If you’re good, it will show — and of course, the opposite follows.”
“My Father’s Last Wish” also stars Dylan Menor, Gerald Madrid, and Johnny Revilla, along with Alex and Dawn. It is a story of reconciliation and regret told in two- to three-minute episodes — but with emotion and depth that linger well beyond the screen.
Then there’s “3 Queens and a Baby,” a high-camp comedy led by Christian Bables as part of a drag trio thrown into chaos (and parenthood) when a baby enters their glittery world. The cast includes TJ Valderrama, Iyah Mina, Daniela Stranner, Donna Cariaga, and Christian Vasquez — all delivering big laughs in small doses.
Romance fans, meanwhile, can swoon to “Baker’s Heart,” a cozy love story set in a panaderia and proof that second chances rise like fresh pandesal.
Rounding out the initial slate is “A Cure Called Love,” a soon-to-launch romance exploring whether love truly heals all wounds. It stars Dylan Menor again, alongside Micah Santos, Gelli de Belen, Pinky Amador, and Jeff Tam.
The rest of the titles are now up and stream for free for the first five episodes. To continue, viewers only need to pay P20 a day via the Cignal Play app. It’s a clever hook: let audiences get invested, then make it easy to stay.
That sense of timeliness — and opportunity — isn’t lost on those involved.
“We’re lucky to be among the first to do this here,” Cedrick said. “It’s not often you get to pioneer something that’s already proven big elsewhere — and then localize it with depth, nuance, and very Filipino feels.”
So while Cignal Play Microdrama may come in small packages, audiences can count on the drama, the emotion, and the impact to be full-size.
