1953 marked the start of television in the Philippines with the first TV broadcast of ABS-CBN as BEC/ABS Channel 3 (BEC = Bolinao Electronics Corporation; ABS/the ABS in ABS-CBN = Alto Broadcasting Systems). That year was the start of ABS-CBN's long-running partnership that proved to be a lifeline of the network: a partnership with the Family Rosary Crusade Movement.
In the early years since 1953, ABS Channel 3 aired Family Theater, a drama production by the FRC Movement headed by Fr Patrick Peyton CSC in the US and Fr James Reuter SJ in the Philippines. Yes, Fr James Reuter (or Fr Jim for short) was the mastermind behind the first live dramas on TV as aired on ABS-CBN (via ABS Channel 3), among them the historic Cyrano de Bergerac. Both Fr Patrick and Fr Jim campaigned for the praying of the Rosary in every home be it in the Philippines, US or worldwide during those days via Family Theater and other activities (among them Family Theater on Radio via Philippine radio station KZPI-AM since 1951). Family Theater became an important program in the ABS Channel 3 lineup that it landed into primetime in the 1960s.
Various Filipino celebrities became part of Family Theater, hence becoming Kapamilyas of some sort in the 1950s and beyond. Among them were Vic Diaz, Celia Diaz-Laurel, Barbara Perez, Vic Silayan, Pancho Magalona, Tita Duran, Jaime Zobel de Ayala, Zenaida Amador, Baby Barredo, Noel Trinidad, Subas Herrero, Robert Arevalo (yes, one of the original new anchors of TV Patrol in 1987) and Cristina Ponce-Enrile.
Family Theater came to a halt in 1972 along with other shows on ABS-CBN no thanks to Martial Law. But with EDSA 1986, ABS-CBN came back and so its partnership with FRC Movement. Family Theater came back on ABS-CBN in late 1986, this time as Ang Pamilya Ko (My Family) on Channel 2. That would last only for 13 weeks due to poor viewership records.
Nevertheless, with the relaunch of ABS-CBN's Channel 2 as the Star Network in March 1987, Fr. Patrick Peyton and the rest of FRC Movement launched the one hour magazine show as we know it today: Family Rosary Crusade. Since 1987, many have taken turns co-presenting the show (even with the passing of the 2 main men of the show: Fr Patrick in 1992 and Fr Jim in 2012). Among them were Rosita "Babs" Hontiveros, Father Larry Faraon OP, the great diocesan priest Father Erick Santos and Loudette Zaragosa Banson. The Family Rosary Crusade programme branched out further within ABS-CBN via Channel 23, and beyond ABS-CBN via Channels 4, 5, 9 and 29.
In 2004, Family Rosary Crusade moved from ABS-CBN's Channel 2 to its current home Channel 23 (then Studio 23, now S+A). It is now presented by Fr. Joel Francis Victorino, Fr. Allan Samonte, Bernard Factor Cañaberal, Claudine Zialcita and media personality Chi Bacobo (yes, a freelance journalist and a special report contributor to TV networks, ABS-CBN among them).
Catch Family Rosary Crusade every Saturday at 5:00am on ABS-CBN Channel 23/S+A!
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