The story of Aldub—the phenomenal love team composed of Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza—is widely considered one of the most explosive and organically successful narratives in the history of Philippine television. It was a segment that broke local and global records, commanded unprecedented viewership, and momentarily unified the nation during its midday broadcast. Yet, the story is equally defined by its dramatic and disheartening decline. Now, an alleged exposé attributed to former Eat Bulaga host Anjo Yllana has shed a harsh, critical light on the internal dynamics, creative mismanagement, and alleged power struggles that led to what many fans and critics now view as a calculated “sabotage” of the love team’s sustained success. The shocking revelations detail how an organic triumph was systematically dismantled by an alleged “syndicate” within the show’s production that prioritized ego and credit over artistic integrity and audience investment.

The Unscripted Miracle: A Triumph of Organic Storytelling
To truly understand the tragedy of Aldub’s decline, one must first recognize the pure, unadulterated nature of its beginning. The segment, born out of the Kalyeserye portion of Eat Bulaga, was entirely unscripted and organic, thriving not on pre-written dialogues but on spontaneous reactions and genuine kilig (romantic thrill) between the lead actors.

The speaker in the video emphasizes that the dynamic between Alden and Maine evolved much like a “classroom crush”—things simply happened, unforced and unplanned. The success was built on minute, genuine interactions that were brilliantly captured by the production team, noting the excellence of the camera work, sound, and music, specifically highlighting the use of the iconic song “God Gave Me You.” The segment demonstrated that a simple glance, a shared smile, or a spontaneous reaction could carry an entire episode, creating a deeply immersive and emotionally resonant experience for the audience, a stark contrast to the rigidly pre-planned nature of other shows.

This spontaneity was the core of Aldub’s massive appeal. It allowed the audience to feel like they were witnesses to a real, evolving relationship, not merely spectators of a television product. This emotional investment was the segment’s most valuable asset, generating loyalty and devotion that transcended traditional fan bases.

The Reign of Dominance: Ratings and Rival Surrender
The success of Aldub was not merely anecdotal; it was quantifiable and, according to the sources, completely unprecedented. The love team quickly ascended to a level of cultural dominance that effectively overshadowed all competition, fundamentally reshaping the midday television landscape.

The speaker highlights Aldub’s record-breaking viewership, with ratings reaching staggering heights of 90-100—figures that demonstrated a near-total capture of the viewing public during the segment’s airtime. This phenomenal success was so absolute that it completely eclipsed the most popular love teams of the rival network, ABS-CBN, including the highly successful KathNiel (Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla).

The competitive environment shifted dramatically. The dominance of the phenomenon was so pronounced that even the powerhouse comedian Vice Ganda is quoted as having “surrendered” to Aldub’s dominance, acknowledging the segment’s overwhelming cultural and ratings victory. The impact was felt far beyond television screens; the speaker vividly recalls how offices would stop to watch the segment during lunch breaks, illustrating its complete penetration into the national routine and consciousness.

This period was the golden age of Eat Bulaga, driven almost entirely by the grassroots fervor and emotional authenticity of the Aldub segment.

The Alleged Syndicate: Arrogance and the Grabbing of Credit
The narrative takes a dark turn with the introduction of an alleged “syndicate” operating within the Eat Bulaga production framework. According to the claims, this group, characterized by “high pride” and arrogance, was driven by a thirst for credit and control, ultimately leading to the destruction of the very phenomenon they sought to exploit.

The central accusation is that a specific member of this alleged syndicate took credit for creating Aldub, despite its acknowledged unscripted origins. This individual’s narrative was reportedly believed by the show’s bosses, granting the group undue creative influence over a segment they did not organically conceive.

The speaker further characterizes these alleged syndicate members as “arrogant” and creatively performing poorly in their roles, suggesting that their decisions were motivated more by personal ego and the desire to share the limelight than by a genuine understanding of what fueled the segment’s massive appeal. This misallocation of credit and subsequent control is painted as the foundational error that paved the way for the catastrophic creative mismanagement that followed.

The Sabotage Strategy: Shattering the Illusion
The alleged creative mismanagement—the very engine of Aldub’s downfall—is described not merely as a series of poor decisions, but as a systematic sabotage aimed at exploiting the segment for the benefit of the syndicate members. The speaker asserts that the same group responsible for claiming credit began introducing “ugly stories” and unnatural elements into the Kalyeserye narrative.

A particularly contentious point was the forced inclusion of the “lolas” (grandmothers) into the core storyline. The speaker suggests that these “lolas,” who were allegedly part of the syndicate, desired to share in the fame and spotlight generated by Aldub. However, their increasing presence served only to distract and pull focus away from the central, magnetic romance between Alden and Maine. The speaker highlights the unnaturalness of this forced inclusion by asking a rhetorical question: why do successful ABS-CBN love teams like KathNiel not require the constant presence of “lolas”? This implied comparison suggests the inclusion was a selfish, internal decision, not an artistic one.

The ultimate, fatal blow to the Aldub phenomenon, according to the speaker, was the creative decision to introduce other love interests for both Maine Mendoza (specifically naming Jake Ejercito) and Alden Richards. This move, designed to complicate the romance, had the disastrous effect of “shattering the illusion” that the audience had so intensely built around the authenticity of Alden and Maine’s relationship.

The speaker vividly recalls the immediate and devastating consequences: ratings dropped instantly that week. The audience, having invested deeply in the realness of the romance, felt profoundly “fooled” and that their emotional commitment had been betrayed. The segment lost its magic because its greatest asset—the audience’s belief—was destroyed, leaving an irreversible chasm between the stars and their viewers.

Parallels in Creative Mismanagement: Ryzza Mae and Baste
The alleged destructive pattern exhibited by the syndicate was not exclusive to Aldub. The speaker draws parallels with the creative mismanagement and overexposure of other child talents who gained massive popularity on the show.

The examples of Ryzza Mae Dizon and Baste (Sebastian Benedict Granfon) are cited to illustrate the syndicate’s alleged tendency to diminish organic appeal through constant presence. While Ryzza Mae was initially a sensation, the strategy of overexposing her talent, the speaker argues, ultimately diminished her appeal.

The speaker further speculates on the fate of Baste, a cute child talent who, despite his initial massive popularity, abruptly disappeared from the show. The speculation is that Baste’s removal might have been a calculated move to protect Ryzza Mae from being overshadowed by the newer talent, suggesting a deep-seated fear of competition and a manipulative desire to control the spotlight within the alleged syndicate. This pattern highlights a broader, sustained lack of creative strategy aimed at nurturing talent and maintaining organic success.

The Regretful Legacy: A Missed Opportunity in Television History
The speaker concludes the exposé with a profound sense of regret and disappointment over the lost potential of Aldub. The claims suggest that the segment’s demise was entirely preventable. The belief is that Aldub could—and should—still be thriving today if it had been managed with the creative integrity and audience sensitivity it deserved, drawing a contrast once again with the sustained popularity of rival pairs like KathNiel.

Despite subsequent attempts to revive the original, magical connection between Alden and Maine, the damage proved irreversible. The core truth is that once the “illusion of the people was destroyed,” and the audience felt the production had said, “you just fooled us,” the authentic foundation of the love team could not be rebuilt.

The story of the Aldub assassination, as recounted in the video, serves as a cautionary tale in the entertainment industry: a powerful testament to how internal arrogance, the pursuit of undeserved credit, and poor creative decisions can systematically dismantle an organic phenomenon, resulting in the disillusionment of a vast, loyal fanbase and the forfeiture of a golden, historic opportunity in television history.