Forever Barkada

Forever Barkada (Forever Friends) (also known as FB) is a Philippine teen drama television series inspired by the preceding program Friends 4Ever, Directed by Mark A. Reyes and Paco Sta. Maria, it is topbilled by today's hottest teen stars: Cherryz Mendoza, Rico dela Paz, Paulo Angeles, Kira Balinger, Yna Uy, Donny Pangilinan, Kobe Paras and Kyline Alcantara, the youth-oriented drama about a group of high school teenagers. The series was aired on IBC and worldwide on Global IBC from August 9, 2015 to January 17, 2016 on the network's Panalo Weekend line up, airing after Hey it's Fans Day!. This is also the very first television series of Cherryz Mendoza with her comeback to IBC in a lead female character. It is one of the most successful youth-oriented programs of IBC.

This was the third and the last youth-oriented drama offering for more than 2 years in 2000 with H2K: Hati-Hating Kapatid and since 2014 with Friends 4Ever.

The series' title is derived from the expression "Forever Friends," which is related to the Tagalog word.

Synopsis
Forever Barkada is the feel-good teen story about Roxanne (Cherryz Mendoza), a junior high school teenager who tried to achieve as a classmate. Oliver (Rico dela Paz) is a popular senior high school boy who will be crush for Roxanne as a love interest. Inigo (Paulo Angeles), a junior high school student who meet his girlfriend Ylona (Kira Balinger) as a junior high school girl. Patricia (Yna Uy) is an attractive junior high school teenage girl who determined about Bryan (Donny Pangilinan), a 17-year-old junior high school teenage boy; Ryan (Kobe Paras) is a popular junior high school boy who paired with his daughter, 12-year-old junior high school girl Erika (Kyline Alcantara).

Main Cast

 * Cherryz Mendoza as Roxanne Cortez (14-year-old)
 * Rico dela Paz as Oliver Domingo (19-year-old)
 * Paulo Angeles as Inigo Ramos (17-year-old)
 * Kira Balinger as Ylona Montes (14-year-old)
 * Yna Uy as Patricia Morales (13-year-old)
 * Donny Pangilinan as Bryan Gutierrez (17-year-old)
 * Kobe Paras as Ryan Fernandez (17-year-old)
 * Kyline Alcantara as Erika Fernandez (12-year-old)

Supporting Cast

 * Maritoni Fernandez as Rosanna Cortez - Roxanne's mom
 * Jestoni Alarcon as Rodrigo Cortez - Roxanne's dad
 * Nathaniel Britt as Terence Cortez - Roxanne's teenager brother.
 * Cacai Bautista as Marie Domingo - Oliver's nanny
 * Ynez Veneracion as Marie Ramos - Inigo's mother.
 * Boom Labrusca as Ramon Montes - Ylona's father.
 * Daisy Reyes as Elisa Montes - Ylona's mother.
 * Lotlot de Leon as Leslie Morales - Patricia's mom
 * Daniel Fernando as Robert Morales - Patricia's dad
 * Arlene Tolibas as Yaya Doris - Bryan's maid mother.
 * Ciara Sotto as Melanie Fernandez - Ryan and Erika's mom
 * Emilio Garcia as Rod Fernandez - Ryan and Erika's dad
 * Amanda Lapus as Teacher Bianca - high school teacher.
 * Virginia Pozon as Teacher Mariz Morales - high school teacher.
 * Leann Ganzon as Rona Macapagal - Roxanne's classmate/friend.
 * Caleb Gotico as JC Santos - Bryan's friend in high school.
 * Carlos Dala as Norman de Leon - Bryan's friend in high school.
 * Angel Sy as Kyla Carpela - Ylona's classmate/friend.
 * Romica Lyan Cornito as Danielle Abestano - Ylona's classmate/friend.
 * Carlo Lacana as Jairus Pedrosa - Ryan's classmate/friend.
 * Daniella Amable as Natasha Salvador - Erika's classmate/friend.
 * Ron Morales as Ronald Termulo - coach in high school.

Special Guests

 * Alodia Gosiengfiao as Sharlene Suarez - Oliver's semi-serious sister.
 * Murielle Tanchanco as Trixie Salvador - Bryan's new love.
 * Paul Salas as Enrico Marquez - Ryan's friend in high school.
 * Nikki Gonzales as Jenny Garcia - Roxanne's bestfriend in high school.
 * Kurt Perez as Ricky Agustin
 * Aaliyah Benisano as Bianca Mejia

Production staff

 * Directed by: Mark A. Reyes and Paco Sta. Maria
 * Executive In-Charge of Production: Ginny Monteagudo-Ocampo
 * In-Charge of Production: Gina P. Borinaga
 * Supervising Producer: Tessie Taylor
 * Writers: Jaymar Castro, Jaja Amarillo, Maria Nikki Jane Bunquin and Kay Conlu-Brondial
 * Editor: Kathryn Jerry Perez, Geomar Triño and Shyra Marie Joaquin
 * Executive Producers: Rowie Valencia and Lorna Feliciano
 * Producer: Ellen Nicolas Criste
 * Make-Up Artist: Rowena Legaspi

Production
On July 13, 2015, IBC has firmed up plans for The Mall Princess Cherryz Mendoza, a pioneer artist and premier talent of Secarats Talent Management Services. After the success of the network's youth-oriented light drama Friends 4Ever, IBC introduces its second batch of young stars from IBC Talent Center via another youth-oriented light drama every Sunday afternoon entitled Forever Barkada. The feel-good teen drama announced on July 14, 2015 after The Mall Princess Cherryz Mendoza signed a TV contract with IBC and still managed by Secarats Talent Management Services as her pioneer artist and premier talent. The same day, she joined the teen drama are her loveteam partner Rico dela Paz, Paulo Angeles, Kira Balinger, Yna Uy, Donny Pangilinan (son of Filipino actress Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan and PTV News anchor Anthony Pangilinan, with his brother Benjamin and his sisters Ella Pangilinan, Hannah Pangilinan and Solana Pangilinan), Kobe Paras (son of PBA legend Benjie Paras) and Kyline Alcantara.

Through public high school using a high school uniform, it targeted at the age of 12-19 year old, making new classmates, friends and following their good vibes and teen values.

The cast began shooting the pilot episode on July 18, 2015 before the teen drama premiered in August 9, 2015.

After Forever Barkada
After the cancellation of the youth-oriented drama, the casts are in various television shows beginning in 2016:

Cherryz Mendoza is now the first main lead role in IBC and Secarats-produced early primetime curriculum-based drama series Glory Jane, the Philippine adaptation of the 2011 Korean drama of the same title as Jane, a happy and determined girl who became a high school teenager; while she is also a regular host and performer on the youth-oriented variety show Hey it's Fans Day!. In August 2017, she and Rico dela Paz announcing another primetime television series: To Love Again in which Mendoza plays Neri Salvador, a high school classmate who paired with Diego Gonzales (Rico), a college man; Neri falls for the boy despite their love traingle and her family, encounting obstacles that put their love to the test.

Rico dela Paz is now the lead male character in Glory Jane where he is now a freshman in college; while he is also a regular performer on the youth-oriented variety show Hey it's Fans Day! and is regarded as the "Dance Prince". On July 2017, he played the freshman guy character in the campus drama series College Luv as Jacob Navarro, alongside.versatile actress Sue Ramirez, Anjo Damiles, Marvelous Alejo, Kenzo Gutierrez and Julia Barretto. In August 2017, he played another role of Diego Gonzages on his second primetime drama series with Mendoza, To Love Again.

Paulo Angeles is still starred in several episodes of Joe D'Mango's Love Notes, a drama anthology series; while he is also a regular performer on the youth-oriented variety show Hey it's Fans Day!.

Kira Balinger moved to ABS-CBN and signed a contract with Star Magic after leaving IBC; and her first project with the network as Caitlyn in the primetime soap opera The Story of Us. Since then, she became a regular performer on the variety show ASAP. in which she became a member of ASAP's newest all-girl sing-and-dance girl group BFF5 in January 22, 2017. In May 2017, after Balinger left for the last 4 years, she is also joining ZTV 33 via the youth-oriented informative lifestyle show titled Kira's Style.

Yna Uy is now the supporting female character in the primetime fantaserye Syrena alongside teen actress Sofia Andres; while she is also a regular performer on the youth-oriented variety show Hey it's Fans Day!.

Donny Pangilinan is now the supporting male character in the primetime teleserye Syrena alongside teen actress Sofia Andres in which he is the last project for the network. After almost two years of working with IBC, in August 2016, Pangilinan moved to ABS-CBN and was announced as one of the new VJ's for the music channel Myx. Since then, Pangilinan became part of Star Magic Circle 2018.

Kobe Paras is now the leading role in IBC and Secarats-produced primetime drama series You Light Up My Life opposite The Powerful Diva Via Saroca; while he is also a regular performer on the youth-oriented variety show Hey it's Fans Day!.

Kyline Alcantara is still topbilled in several episodes of Joe D'Mango's Love Notes, a drama anthology series. In 2017, she moved to GMA Network and signed a contract with GMA Artist Center after leaving IBC; and her first drama role with the network is the primetime series Kambal, Karibal.

Soundtrack

 * Forever Barkada (composer: Melchora Mabilog) - Cherryz Mendoza
 * Bakit Ba Ganyan (compose: Ruben Palisoc) - Cherryz Mendoza (from the album Cherryz Infatuation under PolyEast Records)
 * Soledad (composers: Rami Yacoub, Andreas Carlsson, K. C. Porter) - Freshmen
 * Goodbye, Hello (Janet Arnaiz) (composers: Juan Miguel Salvador, Ma.Corazon Remigio) - Cherryz Mendoza

Special episodes

 * Marcos Twin Mansion in Brgy. Casile, Cabuyao, Laguna (October 25, 2015)

Merchandise
IBC is advantage of the youth-oriented drama's popularity to the partnership with Sari-Sari Kapinoy entitled Forever Barkada Items, the merchandise that produce a notebooks, posters, stickers, among others are also being sold available in the market, like supermarkets, supermalls, malls and much more in Mega Manila and nationwide in very affordable prices.