May Bukas Pa () is a Philippine religious-themed television series, inspired by the 1955 Spanish film Marcelino pan y vino and 1981 anime Superbook. Directed by Jerome Chavez Pobocan, Jojo A. Saguin, and Erick C. Salud, it is topbilled by Zaijian Jaranilla together with an ensemble cast. It is a revival of the 2000âÂÂ2001 series of the same name produced by Viva Television (now Studio Viva). Guest casts and addition of characters to the show are shown on each chapter.
The original cut version of the series aired on ABS-CBN's Primetime Bida evening block from February 2, 2009 to February 5, 2010, replacing Precious Time. After a two-year hiatus, an extended and clean feed version of the show with a deleted scene of its finale episode 263 was released from July 2012 to December 5, 2013 where some episodes on TFC website replaced the former and continued through airing on its sister channel Jeepney TV from March 11, 2013. Six other contents (station ID and specials) related to the series were aired, with four of which during the original cut version's run, and one during the two-year hiatus and after the extended ended.
The story revolves around Santino (Zaijian Jaranilla), a wide-eyed young boy who was orphaned as a baby before being adopted and raised by Franciscans. Living in the fictional town of Barangay Bagong Pag-asa, he eventually discovers the ability to see and speak with Jesus Christ, whom he fondly called âÂÂBroâÂÂ. He also gains the ability to miraculously heal the sick. With these special abilities, Santino goes out to help other people with their problems and make a difference in their lives.
The first 65 episodes of the series were re-aired during its two reruns, with the first 48 episodes of the series from April 9 to 11, 2009 during the Holy Triduum of that year, and the second being the first 65 (coinciding with the anniversary number that ABS-CBN celebrated from 2018 to 2019, with a video about Jaranilla returning to the church where the series was set made in June 2019) from March 16 to May 4, 2020 due to the network's shut down on May 5, 2020 as a result of the expiration of its broadcast franchise granted in 1995 the day prior, temporarily replacing FPJ's Ang Probinsyano because of the community quarantines caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines which ABS-CBN temporarily suspended the tapings of their ongoing dramas.