PAL ‘teleserye’ safety video earns global praise

Philippine Airlines (PAL) recently unveiled a unique inflight safety video that taps into Filipinos’ enduring fondness for classic TV soap operas or teleserye.

The distinctively Filipino-appealing safety video veers away from the mandatory safety audio-visual demonstrated by the cabin crew and ignored by passengers.

Released online on the last day of 2025, the six-minute production leans heavily into the cliches that have long defined Filipino teleseryes: unwanted marriages, rich-poor love triangles and the tension of last-minute reversals at the altar.

PAL posted once the video was released – “What do you need to do to keep your love safe?”

PAL’s safety video drama, titled “Care that comes from the heart”, centers on Diego and Luisa, both portrayed as wealthy and set to marry at the insistence of Luisa’s father. Pressured by her family, Luisa is pushed into a union she does not want.

The plot reaches its peak when commoner Anton—Luisa’s true love—interrupts the wedding mid-vows. Luisa bolts down the aisle, abandoning her wealthy groom to flee with her simpler, farm boy suitor.

A distinctive segment was the transformation of the church aisle of Nuestra Señora de la Porteria Parish Church in Daraga, Albay, into an aircraft aisle to demonstrate the location of emergency exits. As Anton calls to halt the wedding, oxygen masks drop in front of the guests.

Less than a week after its release, the video was viewed more outside the cabin.

Film Development Council of the Philippines chair and CEO Jose Javier Reyes tips his hat to PAL, posting online – “ONLY IN THE PHILIPPINE… AIRLINES! Mabuhay!!”

TV and film director Mark Reyes also praised the production. “As a director of numerous ‘Pinoy’ telenovelas, I love how PAL integrated the classic soap tropes with the key safety features without undermining its importance,” he says.

“Let’s close the year with the BEST in-flight safety video ever! Sure to capture the attention of every passenger the first few times they see it on board,” author Cathy Sanchez Babao writes. “The DOT can learn from your marketing people and maybe even engage the same ad agency.”

Alvin Miranda, PAL Marketing vice president, said, “Filipino audiences connect through story, emotion and shared cultural language, so we embraced that truth. The ‘Safetynovela’ reflects our commitment to elevating even the most functional parts of the journey.”

The production departs from previous safety video, launched eight years ago, that focused on local tourist destinations. The new version still features locations such as Palawan, Bohol, Boracay, Pangasinan, Malcapuya Island and Hacienda Rosalia in Negros Occidental.

It also places PAL alongside a growing list of airlines that went creative in their safety briefings.

PAL rolled out the new safety video this January.