'Iskul Bukol' transformed into a millennial high school

January 6, 2017

Keith Cruz (school uniform), Raisa Dayrit (school uniform) and Joyce Abestano (school uniform)

Two decades after they went off-air, one of the most popular and trend-setting sitcoms in the history of Philippine television, Iskul Bukol made a comeback on IBC-13, the Runaway Princess and the very own Secarats talent Keith Cruz admitted that she already playing as the lead star in a school-oriented teen sitcom as a revival of the hit '70's and '80's sitcom.

Keith is the role as the ordinary high school teenager in the newest weekend primetime school-oriented sitcom Iskul Bukol, produced by IBC-13 and Secarats Talent Management Services and regained itself as a revival of the longest-running sitcom, featuring Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon (collectively known as TVJ) and is centered on their lives as students (Tito and Joey Escalera and Vic Ungasis) enrolled in a fictional school called Wanbol University, it became a staple in millions of Filipino household on Tuesday evening from 1977-1990. Along with Mely Tagasa as Liwayway Gawgaw Tapia aka Miss Tapia, the late Bing Angeles, Anthony Roquel as Tonet Macho, the late Dely Atay-Atayan, Bibeth Orteza, Jimmy Santos, the late Richie D'Horsie, Mary Massab and Ariel Villasanta.

The show ran for a good decade, spanning 10 seasons and has spawned four film versions during its run – 1978's Iskul Bukol the Movie, 1980's Iskul Bukol Freshmen, and 1987’s The Best of Iskul Bukol: The Movie – and a reunion movie called Iskul Bukol 20 Years After (Ungasis and Escaleras Adventure) in 2008.

Now with its new timeslot and revamp their weekend programming, the newest sitcom which involve these young and pretty cute high school girls in the academic friendship of high school life, she joined the Comedienne Princess Raisa Dayrit and introducing Bida Best 2016 gorgeous second runner-up and the Teen Model Sweetheart Joyce Abestano (known as KRJ) as the three high school classmate girls involve to study in Diliman High School, a fictional public high school where most of the teen comedy regulated by the Department of Education (DepEd), a responsible for the K–12 basic education.

Keith (school uniform), Tonton, Joyce (school uniform)

Iskul Bukol also marks the first time that the veteran movie and TV actor Tonton Gutierrez will do a primetime sitcom ever since she started acting about 33 years ago and gained popularity itself as a father of female teen star Abestano. In the school-oriented teen sitcom, Tonton will play the role of Tonton Escalera, a father of Keith (Cruz) and Joyce (Abestano).

Keith and Joyce played the role of the Escalera sisters, a teen girls who involve as a high school classmate frendship when Keith and Joyce's father Tonton (Gutierrez) along with Keith's mother Mariel (Mariel Rodriguez) and Mr. Matthew (Matthew Mendoza) are the Escalera family. In Diliman High School, Raisa as Raisa Ungasis, an attractive and intelligent high school girl as a daughter of Maricar (Cacai Bautista) and Luigi (Boom Labrusca), also as the object of the Escalera girls involve to teach the valuable lesson and learn the subject despite the hilarious fun of friendship.

Unlike the original, which centered in the fictional Wanbol University for only college and university students, the new version 2.0 will now set in the fictional public high school Diliman High School for both junior high school and senior high school level as a teen demographic by wearing high school uniforms at the age of 13- to 19- years old and above—just like the former teen sitcom Luv U on ABS-CBN, which will be the same in the sitcom.

The school-oriented sitcom, said IBC-13 chief entertainment content officer Wilma Galvante, in order to revive the comedy genre on TV but only during weekends. Some drama and fantasy have completely overtaken primetime TV on weeknights and days, Lito said the sitcoms shown potential of making a comeback based on the success being enjoyed by Maya Loves Sir Chief and T.O.D.A.S.

If dramas are the turf of both male and young viewers rather than female while the hardcourt action for PBA every weekend as the best of Philippine basketball is the turf of male viewers, per Galvante's argument. the school-oriented sitcom appeal to teen viewers, while Maya Loves Sir Chief will also target the light and funny Filipino family values. IBC-13, Galvante adds, continues to target the millennial teen demographics while they learned in a high school level (both junior and senior) in their TV viewing habit just like did in 2016 when IBC and Secarats-produced Philippine adaptation of 2011 Korean drama Glory Jane was a top-rater in a pre-primetime slot and recently the afternoon school-themed teleserye High School Life is a good top-rater.

The remaining 3 characters

The original number has remained the three characters. The original version which involve the three main characters and now in the newest weekend primetime sitcom with a light and funny school-oriented storyline will attract the teen viewers and will feature three high school characters: the ordinary high school teenager Keith (Cruz), an attractive and intelligent high school girl Raisa (Dayrit) and the cute and sassy high school girl Joyce (Abestano).

An innovation in the school-oriented teen sitcom will be in Diliman High School, where Keith, Raisa and Joyce involve to study the hilarious fun and develop an academic friendship.

Under the direction of Bert de Leon and Nilyano Retna, joining Keith, Raisa and Joyce along with Tonton in the stellar cast of Iskul Bukol are the popular cosplayer Alodia Gosiengfiao as the very nice Teacher Alodia, the popular TV host and radio DJ himself Mr. Fu as the good-looking Principal Oscar, Mely Tagasa as Liwayway Gawgaw Tapia aka Miss Tapia, the resident professor in Diliman High School, JC Tejano as Sir Rude, the adviser and high school newspaper editor Diliman High School, Francis Magundayao, Justin Ward, Andres Muhlach, Harold Rementilla, Tess Antonio as the cafeteria owner Aning Francia, Aldred Gatchalian as Aning’s assistant Alwyn and Victor Basa as the coach in Diliman High School himself Raffy. The school-oriented sitcom will also feature the high school classmates are Patrisha Samson, Analyn Nacion, Zonia Mejia, Dexie Daulat, Aries Ace Espanola, Miguel David, Leann Ganzon and Lorin Gabriella Bektas.

“There are also a plan to invite TVJ to appear as their guests,” said Keith. In the school-oriented sitcom, there were 13 high school classmates. “The episode with them would be like a reunion of sort, but the script has to be really good for the three of them to agree.”

Iskul Bukol is the newest addition to the network’s weekend primetime programming line-up of IBC-13 with the roster of top-rating local favorites like PBA, Joe D’Mango’s Love Notes, Maya Loves Sir Chief, T.O.D.A.S., another sitcom Vic & Leen, Born to be a Superstar and Dingdong n’ Lani.

Iskul Bukol will premiere on Saturday (January 7), 7:45 p.m. after Express Balita Weekend on IBC-13.

About Iskul Bukol

 * WORKS:
 * IBC
 * Secarats Talent Management Services


 * EDUCATION:
 * Diliman High School
 * Quezon City, Philippines
 * PLOT KEYWORDS: high school, classmate, high school student, teacher, professor, adviser, coach, school uniform, P.E. class, sitcom, school, family, sister, best friend, teenager, high school life, friend, cellphone, trending, court, high school prom, group of friends


 * About ISKUL BUKOL
 * Show Description:


 * A revival of the original classic hit sitcom Iskul Bukol is now in a millennial high school level in the very popular Saturday primetime sitcom
 * The light and funny school-oriented sitcom which will bring back the glory days of primetime comedies that will be the high school teen level. The sitcom is set in the fictional public high school Diliman High School by introduce some three high school characters.
 * Funny and interesting characters revolves around the academic friendship of high school life. They become the best of girlfriends, and learning their good values and will surely the viewers laugh while teaching the lession in high school.