Wanbol U

Wanbol U is a Philippine campus situational comedy directed by Dante Nico Garcia, starring Kenzo Gutierrez, Manolo Pedrosa and Joshua Garcia. The sitcom premiered on IBC's Primetime ng Bayan evening block and worldwide on Global IBC on July 9, 2019. It airs every Tuesday at 10:00 to 11:00 p.m. (PST) after How Can I Fall? and streamed live via Facebook pages of IBC and Wanbol U.

The show centered on their lives as students of the fictional Wanbol University, parodying its real life counterpart, Arellano University. This was used to be the university setting of the legendary sitcom Iskul Bukol from 1978 to 1990 before the setting was revamped, reformatted and converted into a curriculum-based sitcom as high school setting in 2017. The show was inspired and based from the classic Tito, Vic and Joey sitcom in the late 70s and 80s, abelt targeting a young adult audience.

Lead Cast

 * Kenzo Gutierrez as Kenzo Balidosa - one of the nororious twins as a student of Wanbol University. His character is patterned after the original sitcom's Joselito "Tito" Escalera.
 * Manolo Pedrosa as Manolo Valentino - the good-looking teacher's pet with a chick-magnet personality as a student of Wanbol University. The Balidosas often pick on him during class. He is patterned to Vic Ungasis from the original sitcom.
 * Joshua Garcia as Joshua Balidosa - one of the Balidosa twins as a student of Wanbol University as a freshman guy. His character is patterned after the original sitcom's Josemari "Joey" Escalera.

Main Cast

 * Candy Pangilinan as Miss Candy - Wanbol University's perfect of discipline and resident professor who often gets on the Balidosa brothers' nerves. Although she admires Joshua, Miss Candy was romantically connected with Mang Rommick. Her favorite student is Manolo Valentino. Her character is patterned after Miss Tapia from the sitcom.
 * Romnick Sarmenta as Mang Romnick - the dark-complexioned operator of the university's cafeteria as the cafeteria owner of Mang Fabio's Cafeteria, a cafeteria near Wanbol University. His character is patterned after Mang Temi from the sitcom.
 * Prince Clemente as Prince Larena - the freshman student's assistant of Wanbol University who plays as best friend of the freshmen in class. He is also the nemesis of the Balidosa brothers. His character is patterned after the original sitcom’s Tonette Macho.
 * Jane de Leon as Jane Villaneuva - Kenzo's female roommate and fellow student of Wanbol University as a working student and a campus leader.
 * Kayne Lacuna as Kayne Anson - a student of Wanbol University whom Manolo likes.
 * Janina Vela as Janina Lustre - Joshua's student of Wanbol University as a social climber and poser girl.
 * Katarina Rodriguez as Miss Katarina - the teacher's assistant of Wanbol University.
 * Ali Khatibi as Ali Manzano - Mang Fabio's houseboy and the cafeteria's waiter of Mang Fabio's Cafeteria.

Supporting Cast

 * Karen Toyoshima as Inang or Aling Karen - Manolo's mother from the town of Tiaong, Quezon.
 * Shaun Salvador as Shaun Madrid - another fellow student of Wanbol University as an accomplice to the Balidosa's comedic pranks.
 * James Teng as James Maurer - Kenzo's friend at Wanbol University,
 * Shiara Dizon (born in December 28, 1998) as Shiara - Jane's friend at Wanbol University.
 * Paolo Santiago as Paolo Valeros - Kenzo's friend at Wanbol University.
 * Andrew Muhlach as Andrew Bondoc - a fellow Wanbol student and part-time waiter at Mang Fabio's canteen.
 * Mymy Davao as Ms. Balidosa - The father of the Balidosa twins.

Guest Cast

 * Mikee Quintos as Mikee Gonzaga (July 9, 2019)
 * Phoebe Walker as Phoebe delos Santos (July 16, 2019)
 * (July 23, 2019)
 * (July 30, 2019)

Production
When Iskul Bukol reformatted, revamped and converted into a curriculum-based sitcom as high school setting Diliman High School with DepEd permit since its inception in 2017, IBC deciced to bring back the original setting of the fictional Wanbol University to attract the young adult viewers via a new campus sitcom.

The IBC management capitalized on the show's cast is composed of Kenzo Gutierrez, Manolo Pedrosa and Joshua Garcia as a trio, which will play the three main characters, with Candy Pangilinan and Romnick Sarmenta in supporting roles. With a new generation of Wanbol University students, the show added that the series will have partial influences from Glee and How I Met Your Mother. The show's setting may be considered as a representation and a pun of the University of the Philippines. The show targets the adolescent viewers and the young adult audience made for the millennials are the college students 20 years and above.

Critics
The director of Wanbol U, Gil Dante Nico Garcia, tagged Kenzo Gutierrez, Manolo Pedrosa and Joshua Garcia as the next Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon based on their portrayals. He stated: "He is really good. I think she will stay long in showbiz. She may be the next Tito, Vic and Joey (TVJ)", "I really like it. When I saw the trailer, I told myself that this show would surely rate."