Pangako Sa 'Yo (International title: The Promise / ) is a Philippine primetime soap opera series that aired on ABS-CBN. It stars an ensemble cast led by Kristine Hermosa, Jericho Rosales, Eula Valdez, Tonton Gutierrez and Jean Garcia. It premiered from November 13, 2000 to September 20, 2002, replacing Labs Ko Si Babe and was replaced by Bituin. It was also broadcast worldwide on TFC from February 26, 2001 to January 3, 2003.
The series is streaming online on YouTube and iWantTFC.
Plot
The story begins with the romance between Amor de Jesús (Eula Valdez) and Eduardo Buenavista (Tonton Gutierrez). Eduardo's mother, Doña Benita (Liza Lorena), opposes the relationship since Amor was a housemaid and because she wanted Eduardo to marry Claudia Zalameda (Jean Garcia) for political reasons. Doña Benita asked Eduardo's older brother, Diego (Jestoni Alarcon), who was also attracted to Amor, to separate them. Upon seeing Diego trying to rape Amor, Eduardo mistook it as them having a relationship, breaking his heart and prompts him to marry Claudia. The now-pregnant Amor was banished from the Buenavista hacienda and she returns to her mother in Manila, who was living at the Payatas dumpsite. She vows revenge on the Buenavista family when she learns that Eduardo has married Claudia.
After giving birth to her daughter, María Amor (Kristine Hermosa), Amor and her friend, Lourdes (Amy Austria-Ventura), survived by working in clubs. Amor caught the eye of a rich American named James Powers (James Cooper), who brings her to the United States. She leaves María Amor and her mother, Chayong (Perla Bautista), behind at the dumpsite and sends money to them from time to time. James Powers proves abusive towards Amor, forbidding her from returning home when a landslide hit the dumpsite. Amor, thinking that her mother and daughter had died, and in retaliation for all his abuses towards her, does not get her husband medical help when he suffered a stroke. James Powers dies and Amor inherits his fortune.
Eduardo and Claudia have two children: Angelo (Jericho Rosales) and Lia (Jodi Sta. Maria). Eduardo is the governor of the province of Punta Verde while Claudia has become the ever-elusive queen of illegal gambling in Punta Verde. Angelo is a rebel who dislikes his father while Lia is a sweet, devout Catholic teenager who cares for the feelings of her loved ones.
Amor's daughter survives the landslide and is adopted by Isko (Cris Daluz) and Belen Macaspac (Eva Darren). The couple found drawings Eduardo made for Amor, signed "Ynamorata" near the abandoned child, so they decided to call the little girl they found Ynamorata. Isko and Belen have their own children: Caloy, who hates Yna, and teenager Flerida (Hazel Ann Mendoza).
Doña Benita regretted forcing Eduardo to marry Claudia, as her daughter-in-law turned out to be cruel. On her deathbed, she tried to explain that she was the one who broke Eduardo's relationship with Amor, but died before being able to do so. To atone for her sins, Doña Benita's spirit haunts the dreams of the grown Yna.
20 years later, Yna and Eduardo accidentally meet, and Yna dreams of Doña Benita showing her that her past lies in the Buenavista family. Intrigued, she gets a job working as a housemaid in Eduardo's household. Yna and Angelo fall in love, much to Claudia's chagrin. She looks down on housemaids and servants, and actively makes Yna's life a living hell.
Amor Powers returns to the Philippines after making a name for herself in the business world in the United States. Amor had been planning her revenge on the Buenavistas, whom she blames for her past sufferings, as well as the assumed death of María Amor. The dilemma was that, after finding out that Yna's true father was Eduardo, Angelo and Yna were therefore thought to be half-siblings. It was later revealed that Angelo's biological father was not Eduardo, nor was it Simon Barcial (John Arcilla), Claudia's former, impoverished lover. Angelo's biological father was later revealed to be Eduardo's brother, Diego (who was also revealed to be adopted), who sired Angelo with a poor woman named Thelma, who had later died.
It also turns out that Claudia had a daughter with Simon. Claudia's father switched the babies after Doña Benita demanded a male heir (the boy that replaced the girl was revealed to be Angelo). The daughter was Clarissa (Dianne dela Fuente) and she was raised by an old woman named Puríng (Anita Linda) as María Amor. Puring had Clarissa believe she was Maria Amor de Jesús, the daughter of Amor.