Nadine Samonte with her twin images in background. (Photos by Enie Reyes)

Just a thought: The finest hour in a person’s life is when he has done things to nameless people without expecting them to remember his acts of kindness and love. It’s not how much we give but how much we put love in our giving.

MANILA, Philippines -- On with the Sisters: Airing of TV5’s newest drama-serye, “The Sisters,” went on as scheduled July 18 despite an earlier report that Seiko Films producer Robbie Tan was questioning the validity of the network’s acquisition of the project.

Peachy Guioguio, head of TV5’s corporate communications department, said network hasn’t received any such order from the court.

“The Sisters,” based on an illustrated komiks novel by Rod Santiago, was filmed by Seiko Films in the 1980s following a negotiation with its author. The movie starred in the principal roles, those of warring sisters, then-Seiko contract stars Rita Avila and Jackie Lou Blanco.

Santiago has created hundreds of novels serialized at the height of komiks magazines’ popularity in the ’60s and ’70s and ’80s. One of his creations was the highly successful drama series, “Agua Bendita.”

Curiously, “The Sisters,” like “Agua Bendita,” is also about sibling rivalry between two sisters.

The roles of the warring twin sisters, Cristina and Bella, are played by one and the same actress, Kapuso turned Kapatid star Nadine Samonte.

The young actress was visibly touched by the importance TV5 accorded her during an elaborate media launch in Greenhills, where guests were requested to come in formal wear.

The scene reduced Nadine to tears.

Leandro returns: Backed up by a big supporting cast that includes Eddie Garcia and Zoren Legaspi, “The Sisters” also marks the return to screen of ’90s leading man, Leandro Muñoz, who has been based in Los Angeles, California for many years.

Leandro, a nephew of the great actress, Tita Muñoz, plays one of three leading men in the drama-serye. The two others are Wendell Ramos and James Blanco.

“I missed acting,” Leandro said. The former ABS-CBN teen star taped for several days during a recent homecoming to Manila. He will be back in August to resume work on his TV comeback.

“The Sisters” also stars in a pivotal role Ms. Rio Locsin, who, in her time, the late ’70s and early ’80s, shot a film called “Stepsisters” opposite Lorna Tolentino for Sampaguita Pictures.

“Stepsisters,” a big box office hit at the time, was directed by Elwood Perez.

Speaking of Lorna and Rio, it would be a good idea to cast the former rivals in another high-powered drama series.

TV5 goes international: After making waves in Philippine broadcasting and expanding its reach to key cities all over the country, TV5 takes another giant leap forward by launching two international channels that will give Filipinos overseas access to the network’s most popular programs.

The two new channels – KapatidTV5 and AksyonTV International – are being run by the network’s affiliate company Pilipinas Global Network, Ltd. (PGN Ltd.), a British Virgin Islands company which is 60 percent owned by PLDT and 40 percent owned by ABC Development Corporation.

These will initially be made available to television viewers in the Middle East, North Africa and Europe.

KapatidTV5 carries most of TV5’s flagship programs such as “Face to Face,” “Wil Time Big Time,” “Babaeng Hampaslupa,” “Juicy,” “Paparazzi,” “Talentadong Pinoy,” “Wow Mali,” “R U Kidding Me?,” “Sugo Mga Kapatid,” “Bagets,” “Iskul Bukol,” among others.

Meanwhile, the Aksyon TV International is a news, information, public service and sports channel that will air News5 programs “Aksyon,” “Aksyon Journalismo,” “Andar ng mga Balita,” “Tutok Tulfo,” “Wanted,” “Dokumentado,” “USI,” “Public Atorni,” “Alagang Kapatid,” “Cristy Ferminute,” “Duelo,” “Kalibre 41,” plus other TV5 news and public affairs programs. It will also carry local sports programs from AKTV (TV5’s primetime sports block on IBC-13).

With OSN, the Kapatid TV5 and Aksyon TV International channels will be available in Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Palestine and in the OSN market in Europe that includes Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Guernesey, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Jersey, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom and the Vatican City.

(nescuar@yahoo.com)