Both are historical dramas from the Philippines and both are drama offerings from the same network GMA during the early 2020s. The actors of the four main characters of Maria Clara at Ibarra also all appear in Pulang Araw (though Julie Anne San Jose is just a cameo in the first episode of the latter drama while Dennis Trillo is a villain in the latter drama and only started appearing between episodes 15 and 20). Despite the major differences in their stories, both portray the real life struggles Filipinos face during the time periods each drama portrays and they also both portray the bravery and strength of Filipinos in overcoming their struggles.