Student Canteen

Student Canteen is a Philippine television variety show. The first noontime variety show and the longest running noontime show on Philippine television, it was broadcast by three networks: ABS-CBN from 1958 to 1965, GMA Network from 1975 to 1986 and currently broadcast and produced by RPN from 1989 to 1990 and since 2017. The show was known for its many formats and host changes over the years that it was broadcast. The show broadcasts from the RPN Studios at the RPN Compound in Panay Avenue, Quezon City. Hosted by Aaron Agassi, Angelo Ilagan and Lance Christopher, The show airs weekdays from 12:00 nn to 1:30 pm ans Saturdays from 12:00 nn to 2:30 pm. The show also broadcast worldwide through RPN USA and live streaming via Facebook pages of RPN and Student Canteen.

Student Canteen is the all-time favorite noontime show for the Filipino youth, albeit catering to a youth and younger audience and geared towards the young and yuppie markets made for the millennials, whose demographics included kids and teens in high school and the adolescent people and young adults in college and university.

Radio show
Student Canteen was originally a radio show on DZXL hosted by Eddie Ilarde, Bobby Ledesma, Bobby de Veyra and Leila Benitez by the name of CBN Canteen. The noontime show was aired on the canteen of the old Manila Chronicle Building in Aduana, Manila. It was later renamed Student Canteen after it became a hit to students.

The CBN years (1958-1965)
In July 1958, DZXL Channel 9, then owned by the Chronicle Broadcasting Network (a precursor of ABS-CBN) started broadcast operations. Student Canteen was brought to television that same year.

The noontime show ended in 1965 when Eddie Ilarde went into politics. Prior to that however, the set of hosts for the show were replaced after main hosts Bobby Ledesma and Leila Benitez walked out of the program along with Eddie following a dispute. Pete Roa, then production manager of ABS-CBN, handpicked his wife Boots Anson-Roa, Ben Aniceto, Pepe Pimentel and Nelda Navarro as replacements.

Noontime show successors
Magandang Tanghali, a musical variety show hosted by Pancho Magalona, and Stop Look and Listen, a former noontime variety show hosted by Eddie Mesa took over Student Canteen's timeslot in 1965. After Eddie left for the US, Twelve O'Clock High, a show hosted by Ariel Ureta and Tina Revilla-Valencia), premiered and aired until 1972 when martial law was declared. The show moved to RBS (now GMA Network) as Ariel con Tina, a blocktimer by a company headed by Romy Jalosjos from 1972 to 1974. Lunch Break also gained ground on the same channel before Student Canteen was eventually revived.

The GMA Network years (1975-1986)
In 1975, the triumvirate of Menardo Jimenez, Felipe Gozon and Gilberto Duavit, Sr. took over RBS and changed its name to GMA Radio-Television Arts. Looking for a show that can serve as a gateway to daytime dominance, the new management conducted negotiations with Eddie Ilarde who readily agreed to revive Student Canteen under his production company Program Philippines Inc.

In January 1975, Student Canteen was revived, with Helen Vela and Coney Reyes joining original hosts Pepe Pimentel, Bobby Ledesma and Eddie Ilarde. Ramon Ramano was the original director of the show. Ariston "Aris" Bautista was the floor director, and later the show's director.

The show had a segment called Search for the Student Canteener which was a singing contest. This segment attracted a lot of high quality constestants and many of former "Canteeners", including Marco Sison, became successful professional singers. Many other singing contest segments within the show produced some of the country's top singers. Bert Nievera, for example, was the champion of the segment called Search for Johnny Mathis of the Philippines. The show also had a segment called IQ 7 which was actually a quiz contest and which produced the country's top quiz champions like Bong Barrameda, Ramon Lorenzo, Romeo Miat, Victor Saymo, Antonio Manaloto, Gil Manimbo, Eduardo Alvaran, Virgilio Acasio, Nazzir Abbas, Roberto Villareal, Emilio Apostol, Nehemias Miguel, Nilo Francisco, Sonny Pascual, Leoncio Pelayo, David Oriel, Leon Bongulto, Pete Dadula, Boni Magtibay, and many others who have gone on to excel in their respective chosen fields of endeavor. A spin-off of the quiz segment IQ 7 called Battle of Campus Brains produced the first and only female quiz champion in the history of GMA 7 quizzes, Essem Zisenia Solomon, who defeated the then reigning champion Pete Dadula and several other quiz veterans.

Student Canteen was the only noontime show that existed in the 1970s before the birth of Eat Bulaga!, whose main hosts were originally taken out from the former, on July 30, 1979. Eat Bulaga! was in danger of cancellation until the segment Mr. Macho was launched in 1980, making it the top-rating noontime show. Student Canteen's ratings, however, started to decline after years of popularity. Coney Reyes, one of the show's main hosts, left this show after they took in Chiqui Hollman from Eat Bulaga!. Other fresh faces were soon seen on Student Canteen, including Jackie Lou Blanco, Chat Silayan, Dyords Javier and Francis Magalona. Former child star Julie Vega was supposed to be included in the show however, the plan was shelved following her illness and subsequent death in 1985.

The show's stint on GMA ended in 1986, following the People Power Revolution. It was later replaced by Lunch Date.

The RPN years (1989-1990)
Student Canteen went back on air on February 20, 1989 with a new home, RPN (renamed as New Vision 9) replacing Eat Bulaga! which was moved to ABS-CBN due to its sequestration. The show was also retitled Student Canteen (The Third Generation) because it was the pioneer noontime show that started it all. Original hosts Eddie Ilarde and Bobby Ledesma were joined by Malu Maglutac, Jean Garcia, Cherry Pie Picache and Atoy Co as co-hosts. Ramon Lorenzo served as the Quiz Master for the IQ 7 segment.

The show ended in 1990 due to disagreements between the RPN management and the hosts. A revival was in the works again the following year, but it was shelved after main host Bobby Ledesma died in 1993.

Alas Dose sa Trese
On July 24, 1999, former Student Canteen main host Eddie Ilarde resurfaced in the noontime scene as host of the IBC noontime show Alas Dose sa Trese. He was joined by the mother-daughter tandem of Boots Anson-Roa (a former host of the original Student Canteen), Chiqui Roa-Puno (newscaster of PTV and one of the top female sportscasters at that time), Ernani "Jong" Cuenco, Pia Pilapil and actor-musician Paco Arespacochaga in the show. Some elements of Student Canteen were seen in the show, along with former contestants from Student Canteen's singing portions who gamely sang and entertained audiences via the segment Student Canteen Corner. The show ended on November 3, 2000.

The RPN years (2017-present)
After 26 years of hiatus, in November 2016, RPN announced that Student Canteen made a comeback for the Kasama network to become its flagship noontime show for the Filipino youth to attract the younger viewers with a younger set of hosts with the same "street humor" inspired by their competitors and counters the increasing ratings of rival variety shows in the likes of It's Showtime, Eat Bulaga! and APO Tanghali Na!. Eddie Ilarde said the new Student Canteen will not feature any of the original hosts nor anyone related to them, although the RPN management capitalized on the show's cast is composed of Aaron Agassi, Angelo Ilagan and Lance Christopher were introduced to the public as the main hosts for accepting a second incarnation of the legendary noontime show, with Marlann Flores, Jaco Benin, Clara Benin, Rhen Escaño, Enzo Gallegos, Kim Ilagan, Mariz Rañeses, Zandra Summer, Arie Reyes, Miguel Estenzo, Potz Jalosjos and Luigi D'Avola as co-hosts.

At the 2017 opening salvo, Student Canteen conceptualized and made its live premiere telecast on January 7, 2017 at the Student Canteen Studio. Since then, the show became the avenue to showcase their talents and introduce new stars.

In February 5, 2018, the show transferred to its new refurbished and renovated compound in Panay Avenue, Quezon City with a new set and new segments with more fun and games, contests and some surprises. On July 14, 2018, Student Canteen celebrated its 60th anniversary at the PhilSports Arena.

First incarnation (1958-1990)
Main hosts Entertainers Co-hosts
 * Eddie Ilarde (1958–1990)
 * Pepe Pimentel (1958–1986)
 * Bobby Ledesma (1958–1990)
 * The Tiongco Brothers
 * Marco Sison
 * Sharon L.
 * Helen Vela (1975-1986)
 * Leila Benitez (1958-1965)
 * Coney Reyes (1975-1982)
 * Carmi Martin (1976-1986)
 * Tito Sotto (pinch-hitter, 1976-1979)
 * Vic Sotto (pinch-hitter, 1976-1979)
 * Joey de Leon (pinch-hitter, 1976-1979)
 * Malu Maglutac (1984-1990)
 * Atoy Co (1989-1990)
 * Chiqui Hollman-Yulo (1982-1986)
 * Jackie Lou Blanco (1982-1986)
 * Dyords Javier
 * APO Hiking Society
 * Jean Garcia (1989-1990)
 * Francis Magalona (1984-1986)
 * Rachel Anne Wolfe (1984-1986)
 * Chat Silayan (1981-1986)
 * JC Bonnin (1985-1986)
 * Marco Sison (1985-1986)
 * Benedict Aquino
 * Jam Morales (1984-1986)
 * Charles Harner (1984-1986)
 * Lou Veloso
 * Cherry Pie Picache (1989-1990)

Second incarnation (2017-present)
Main hosts Co-hosts Featuring
 * Aaron Agassi (born in 29 March 1989) (2017-present)
 * Angelo Ilagan (born in March 28, 1990) (2017-present)
 * Lance Christopher (born in August 23, 1990) (2017-present)
 * Marlann Flores (born in February 11, 1993) (2017-present)
 * Jaco Benin  (2017-present)
 * Clara Benin (born in 19 February 1994) (2017-present)
 * Rhen Escaño  (2017-present)
 * Enzo Gallegos  (2017-present)
 * Kim Ilagan (born in April 21, 1995) (2017-present)
 * Mariz Rañeses (born in June 1, 1995) (2017-present)
 * Zandra Summer  (2017-present)
 * Arie Reyes (born in August 9, 1994) (2017-present)
 * Miguel Estenzo  (2017-present)
 * Potz Jalosjos  (2017-present)
 * Luigi D'Avola  (2017-present)
 * Tanner Mata (born in May 12, 1995) (2018-present)
 * DJ Coki  (2017-present)
 * Student Canteen Dancers  (2017-present)

Search for the Student Canteener
A singing contest attracted a lot of high quality constestants to be participated in by young students where the daily winners will be pitted against the weekly winners for the monthly finals.

Dance Showdown
A dance contest that will display the dancing prowess of young contestants.

Model Star
A model search contest for for kids and teens, featuring the number of aspiring young models in their search for model stardom for new discoveries.

My Fashionista Girl
A fashion contest for pretty fashion girls aged 13 to 25 years old. In the daily rounds, contestants participated the Student Canteen stage while the weekly/monthly finals with ah opening number featuring contestants.

Olympic Quiz
A segment aims to instill in the youth the love for sports.

Screen 9
A segment which will serve as an on-camera acting workshop for would-be actors and actresses, young and old alike.

Other segments

 * Banda Banda

Former

 * Search for Johnny Mathis of the Philippines
 * IQ 7
 * Battle of Campus Brains