AKB48's Team 8 performs on "It's Showtime" back in December 2016. Photo from the official website of MNL48

The search for members of MNL48, the upcoming "sister group" of Japanese all-girl pop group AKB48, will be shown on ABS-CBN, its management agency announced Thursday.

According to a release, Hallohallo Entertainment (HHE) said that it will be partnering with the Kapamilya network to bring viewers "the next big thing on Philippine television."

It added that the show will be patterned on the "original AKB48 concept," which likely means that public votes will determine the members.

"We're very excited for this partnership and with ABS-CBN as the home for our new project, we're very positive that this will be one of our biggest milestones yet," said HHE president Paulo Kurosawa.

Other details such as the show's title, mechanics, and a release date were not announced.

The MNL48 project was first announced back in March 2016, with auditions beginning last December. It is one of the newest AKB48 sister groups outside of Japan in addition to already existing units in Jakarta, Indonesia, and in Shanghai, China.

The Filipino idol group, its official website explained, will continue AKB48's concept of "idols you can meet" by performing daily at their own theater.

It furthered that MNL48 will be divided into three teams and follow a ranking system similar to that of AKB48 (a center girl, a Super 7, Selections, Under Girls, Next Girls, Future Girls, and trainees).

AKB48 was first formed in 2005, and have since become one of the most successful idol groups in Japan with album and single sales numbering tens of millions.