Viva Communications
A Philippine media and entertainment company spanning film, television, music, publishing, talent management, streaming, home video, and food service.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Viva Communications Inc., also known as Viva Entertainment and commonly branded as Viva, is a Philippine media and entertainment group headquartered in Ortigas Center, Pasig. Its business began in film production and expanded over several decades into television programming, music recording and publishing, artist management, cinema and television distribution, home video, book publishing, digital media, streaming, radio, live events, and food and beverage operations. The company is particularly associated with Viva Films, Viva Records, Viva Artists Agency, Viva Video, Viva International Pictures, Viva Publishing, and the streaming services Vivamax and Viva One. The company was founded on November 11, 1981, by Vic del Rosario Jr. and his sister Tess Cruz. It was initially incorporated as Viva Films, a production studio based in New Manila, Quezon City. Film production remained central to the group, but Viva gradually created or acquired adjacent businesses that allowed it to develop, package, distribute, and monetize entertainment content across multiple formats. Viva Records was established in 1986, and Viva Television followed in 1988. In 1997, the group founded Viva Artists Agency to manage performers and other entertainment talent. Viva also developed a substantial television and channel portfolio. After acquiring Vintage Television in 1999 in the aftermath of the Asian financial crisis, the company renamed the operation Viva TV in 2000 and used it as a primetime sports and entertainment programming block on IBC. The block operated until 2003. The group's later channel interests included Pinoy Box Office, Viva Cinema, Viva TV Plus, Tagalized Movie Channel, and other joint-venture or licensed channels. Viva Networks, established in 2003, became the company's cable-television division and helped extend its film and entertainment catalog into pay television. The company has repeatedly diversified through acquisitions, partnerships, and new formats. In 2013, it acquired half of PSICOM Publishing Inc., later renamed Viva PSICOM Publishing Corporation, broadening its participation in books, magazines, manga, and commercially successful Filipino popular fiction. In 2016, it established Viva International Food and Restaurants, opening a Botejyu location at SM Mall of Asia and subsequently operating or developing restaurant and food brands including Paper Moon Cake Boutique, Pepi Cubano, Yogorino, and Wing Zone. In 2019, Viva joined Globalgate Entertainment, a local-language film consortium led by Lionsgate. Digital distribution became increasingly important to the group. On January 29, 2021, Viva launched Vivamax, a subscription video-on-demand platform focused on Filipino and other Asian entertainment content. On January 29, 2023, it launched a second streaming service under the name Viva Prime; the service was renamed Viva One in February 2023. The company also operates or has operated other digital and over-the-top properties, including VMX, Viva Movie Box, and Viva Video. These services complement its production, talent, music, and publishing operations by giving Viva direct consumer access to content. Viva's business model is therefore vertically and horizontally diversified. It can participate in developing talent, producing films and recordings, publishing related material, distributing content through cinemas, television, physical media, and streaming, and supporting live entertainment and consumer businesses. Some historical subsidiaries and channels have been liquidated or discontinued, while others remain active or have been rebranded. The company remains a Philippine-centered entertainment group whose best-known public-facing activities are film production, music, artist management, television and digital distribution, and streaming.
History
Viva Communications traces its origins to Viva Films, which was founded on November 11, 1981, by Vic del Rosario Jr. and Tess Cruz. The original studio was based in New Manila, Quezon City, and established the foundation for a broader entertainment business built around Filipino film production. Rather than remaining solely a movie producer, Viva developed complementary businesses that could manage talent, record music, publish material, and distribute content. Viva Records was established in 1986, followed by Viva Television in 1988. The creation of these divisions expanded the company from theatrical film into recorded music and television. In 1997, Viva established Viva Artists Agency, giving the group an in-house talent-management operation. The agency later became an important part of the company's ability to develop and represent performers connected with its film, television, music, and live-event activities. The late 1990s brought both financial pressure and expansion. Following the effects of the 1997 Asian financial crisis, Viva Communications acquired Vintage Television in 1999. In February 2000, the business was renamed Viva TV and operated as a primetime sports and entertainment programming block on the Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation. The block continued until March 1, 2003. Viva also created or operated several film labels during its history, including Neo Films, Falcon Films, and Scorpio Films, although those labels were later liquidated or discontinued. In 2003, Viva established Viva Networks as its cable-television division. Its portfolio included movie and entertainment channels such as Pinoy Box Office, Viva Cinema, Viva TV Plus, and Tagalized Movie Channel, as well as partnerships involving other international and regional channel brands. Viva TV Plus, formerly Viva TV, was launched in 2005 as a 24-hour Philippine international television channel. The group also pursued home entertainment through Viva Video, which distributed physical video products from Viva's own library and licensed local and international film and television content for the Philippine market. Its Video City rental and retail affiliate was eventually liquidated, with all stores closed by 2015. Viva continued to broaden its content ecosystem during the 2010s. In 2013, it acquired a 50 percent stake in PSICOM Publishing Inc., a company founded by Arnel Jose Gabriel. The operation became Viva PSICOM Publishing Corporation and published books, magazines, manga, and popular Filipino fiction. Its publishing catalog included commercially successful works associated with online and Wattpad-originated writers, horror anthologies, anime and manga-related publications, and other popular genres. The group entered food and beverage in 2016 through Viva International Food and Restaurants. Its first Philippine Botejyu outlet opened at SM Mall of Asia in Pasay, and the division later became associated with several restaurant and food brands. In 2019, Viva joined Globalgate Entertainment, a consortium focused on local-language film production and distribution and led by Lionsgate. This connected Viva's Philippine content business with a wider international network. Viva's most significant recent strategic shift has been toward direct-to-consumer digital distribution. The company launched Vivamax on January 29, 2021. The service gave Viva an owned streaming outlet for film and entertainment content and reduced reliance on third-party television and physical distribution. On January 29, 2023, Viva introduced Viva Prime as a second streaming platform; it was renamed Viva One in February of that year. Other digital properties associated with the group include VMX and Viva Movie Box, the latter focused on short, mobile-first vertical video dramas. Alongside these developments, Viva has maintained interests in live entertainment, radio, music publishing, home video, international film distribution, and artist management. Some historical operations, such as Viva Sports, Video City, Sari-Sari Channel, K Movies Pinoy, and certain television services, are defunct or have been discontinued. The company's continuing identity is that of a diversified Philippine entertainment group with a broad content pipeline and multiple routes to audiences, from cinemas and television to music, books, live events, and streaming.
- 2023
Viva One is introduced
[1]The company launched Viva Prime and renamed it Viva One in February 2023.
- 2021
Vivamax launches
[1]Viva introduced its own video-on-demand streaming platform.
- 2019
Globalgate partnership
[1]Viva joined the Lionsgate-led Globalgate local-language film consortium.
- 2016
Viva enters food and restaurants
[1]Viva International Food and Restaurants opened its first Botejyu restaurant in the Philippines.
- 2013
PSICOM stake acquired
[1]Viva acquired half of PSICOM Publishing, which subsequently became Viva PSICOM Publishing Corporation.
- 2003
Viva Networks is established
[1]The cable-television division was created to operate and distribute entertainment channels.
- 1999
Vintage Television is acquired
[1]Viva acquired Vintage Television during the period following the Asian financial crisis.
- 1997
Viva Artists Agency is founded
[1]The company created an in-house talent agency to represent and develop entertainment performers.
- 1988
Viva Television is established
[1]Viva entered television production and programming with Viva Television.
- 1986
Viva Records is established
[1]The group expanded into recorded music through the creation of Viva Records.
Products and positioning
A vertically integrated Philippine entertainment group that develops local talent and content and distributes it through film, television, music, publishing, physical media, live events, and digital streaming.
Film production · 1981
Viva Films
Viva Films is the group's principal film-production business and the origin of Viva Communications. It produces and develops Philippine feature films and supplies content for theatrical, television, home-video, and streaming distribution. Its library also supports related Viva businesses, including Viva Cinema, Viva Video, and the group's digital services.
Recorded music · 1986
Viva Records
Viva Records is the group's recording label and part of Viva Music Group. It is associated with the production, release, and commercialization of recordings by Filipino artists, alongside music publishing, recording-studio, and affiliated-label operations within the wider group.
Talent management · 1997
Viva Artists Agency
Founded in 1997, Viva Artists Agency represents and develops performers and other entertainment talent. It connects artist management with Viva's film, television, recording, publishing, concert, and digital businesses, allowing talent to participate across several parts of the group's content ecosystem.
Home video distribution
Viva Video
Viva Video is Viva Communications' home-video affiliate and distributes physical video products in the Philippine market. Its catalog has included Viva productions and licensed local and international film and television titles from a wide range of rights holders and studios.
Streaming video · 2021
Vivamax
Vivamax is Viva's video-on-demand streaming platform, launched in 2021. It provides a direct digital outlet for Philippine and other Asian entertainment content and forms part of the company's strategy to combine production, rights ownership, talent, and consumer distribution.
Streaming video · 2023
Viva One
Viva One is Viva's second streaming platform. It was launched as Viva Prime in January 2023 and renamed Viva One in February 2023, adding another digital distribution channel to the group's portfolio.
Book and magazine publishing · 2013
Viva PSICOM Publishing
Viva PSICOM Publishing Corporation is jointly owned by Viva Communications and the Gabriel family. Its publishing activities include books, magazines, manga, horror anthologies, and popular Filipino fiction, including works connected with online and Wattpad-originated writers.
Food and beverage · 2016
Viva International Food and Restaurants
Viva's food and beverage division develops and operates restaurant and dessert concepts in the Philippines. Its associated brands have included Botejyu, Paper Moon Cake Boutique, Pepi Cubano, Yogorino, and Wing Zone.
Television networks · 2003
Viva Networks
Viva Networks is the group's cable-television division. It has operated or distributed channels including Pinoy Box Office, Viva Cinema, Viva TV Plus, and Tagalized Movie Channel, while also participating in channel joint ventures and partnerships.
Controversies
2021
Viva sues MTN over Kwata Esimu caller tune
Viva contends that MTN used and sold the song Kwata Esimu as a caller tune without authorization or consent, and seeks royalties, compensation and an order restraining continued sales. The court registrar summoned MTN to file a defense within 15 days. These are allegations in the suit, not a determination of infringement.
Brand decisions
2023
Launch and rename Viva OneProduct launchBackground
Viva sought to extend its direct-to-consumer streaming presence with a second service.
Action taken
The company launched Viva Prime on January 29, 2023, then changed its name to Viva One in February.
Aftermath
Viva One became a second branded streaming outlet alongside Vivamax.
2021
Launch VivamaxProduct launchBackground
Changing viewing habits and the growth of direct-to-consumer video created an opportunity for Viva to distribute its content through an owned streaming service.
Action taken
Viva launched Vivamax on January 29, 2021.
Aftermath
The platform became a central part of Viva's digital distribution strategy and was followed by additional over-the-top services.
2019
Join the Globalgate local-language film consortiumStrategyBackground
Viva was pursuing broader international connections for locally produced film content.
Action taken
The company joined Globalgate Entertainment, a consortium led by Lionsgate and focused on local-language film opportunities.
Aftermath
The partnership positioned Viva within an international network for developing and distributing locally rooted cinema.
2016
Create a food and restaurant divisionStrategyBackground
Viva sought to diversify its entertainment-centered business into consumer-facing food and beverage operations.
Action taken
It established Viva International Food and Restaurants and opened its first Philippine Botejyu store at SM Mall of Asia.
Aftermath
The division developed a portfolio of restaurant and dessert brands, including Paper Moon Cake Boutique, Pepi Cubano, Yogorino, and Wing Zone.
2013
Acquire a 50 percent stake in PSICOM PublishingM&ABackground
Viva was expanding beyond film and television into publishing and sought a larger role in book and magazine content.
Action taken
The company acquired half of PSICOM Publishing Inc. from the Gabriel family and subsequently participated in operating the renamed Viva PSICOM Publishing Corporation.
Aftermath
The transaction added books, magazines, manga, and popular fiction to Viva's integrated entertainment portfolio.
Recent events
Reported
Viva sues MTN over Kwata Esimu caller tune[2]
Viva contends that MTN used and sold the song Kwata Esimu as a caller tune without authorization or consent, and seeks royalties, compensation and an order restraining continued sales. The court registrar summoned MTN to file a defense within 15 days. These are allegations in the suit, not a determination of infringement.
Reported
Viva Entertainment and TV5 partner to unveil five shows[3]
Viva Entertainment partnered with TV5 to unveil a lineup of five programs for the Kapatid Network.
Sources3 sources
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