MANILA, Philippines?From teleseryes with a foreign component to multinational franchises given a Pinoy makeover, localized ?international? series inch their way into the prime time race.

Kahit Isang Saglit
ABS-CBN

With the appeal of local romantic melodramas and the endearing nature of Asian telenovelas, it was only a matter of time before somebody thought of combining these winning genres. ?Kahit Isang Saglit? is the result of such a marriage.

Starring Jericho Rosales and Malaysian actress Carmen Soo, it tells the story of Rocky, a policeman on a quest to find his father?s killer, and Garie, a Malaysian girl who escapes to Manila to avoid a fixed marriage and find her Filipino father.

By virtue of its ?big-ness? alone (set in the Philippines and Malaysia, shot in high definition, and intended for release in other Asian countries), the series is a can?t-miss.

Its strongest element is its multicultural theme. The concept isn?t half-baked, either: Both the Philippine and Malaysian story lines, happening simultaneously, are given the right amount of treatment and development.

Since it?s co-produced by a Malaysian firm, it?s not overly burdened to appeal only to Pinoy audiences; it?s comfortable in being multilingual, and overall production quality is better and consistent.

But there are still elements that make it unmistakably Pinoy: Self-aware acting, a predilection for syrupy sweet romance, and action hero elements.

Survivor: Philippines
GMA 7

For a franchise that was last interesting in the early 2000s, GMA 7?s ?Survivor: Philippines? succeeds in evoking the early days of ?Survivor??when there was less sexiness points and more survival.

So far, ?Survivor: Philippines? succeeds in staying focused on the contestants? efforts to position themselves as the next ?Pinoy Sole Survivor.?

This sets the stage for classic ?Survivor? treats, Pinoy-style: The schemes, the posturing, the brewing animosities, the attempts to get ?friends? to one?s side.

The result is an abundance in conflict and drama. But it also means the show can be a drag. One episode can pass without anything interesting happening.

Ratings are high, but the jury is still out on this one. Let?s hope it does not go the way of other American-franchise reality talent shows that ultimately failed.

I Love Betty La Fea
ABS-CBN

This is a local adaptation of the hit ABC series ?Ugly Betty,? the local version top-billing Bea Alonzo and John Lloyd Cruz and has a lot of similarities with the original.

There?s the fashion-forward office setting (Mode Magazine in the foreign series and Ecomoda advertising agency in the local show), which provides the ugly duckling-out-of-the-water situation that drives Betty?s story.

There?s also the politics that puts Betty in the middle of a power struggle between her handsome, womanizing, but well-meaning boss (John Lloyd Cruz) and the jilted, scheming fashionista tormentor (Ruffa Gutierrez), who is after his job.

While many other similarities abound, ?I Love Betty La Fea? still succeeds in coming into its own as a local light drama. Amid glitzy and very contemporary cultural settings, it remains a feel-good Pinoy chick flick at heart.

The only problem is, it looks too much like a comedy skit at times. It goes overboard in the portrayal of Betty, the epitome of baduy, and her nerdy friend Nicolas, played by Vhong Navarro. Occasionally, they look like caricatures of the roles they aim to portray.