Tonton react to timeslot of the new Iskul Bukol; Tonton asks, "Tuwing eskwelang-kwela Sabado ng gabi"

posted on December 30, 2017

'(photo: Tonton Gutierrez) During the presscon of the new Iskul Bukol, Tonton Gutierrez said they have no problem about the curriculum-based revival of the longest-running sitcom for the high school level being shown in the Saturday primetime timeslot. Keith said, "We're very excited na ipapalabas na ang show namin. Kasi dati, hindi namin alam kung kailan ipapalabas. Now, ito na po yun, lahat ng tawa namin, lahat ng effort na binigay namin, mapapanood n'yo na po siya."'

King of All Media Tonton Gutierrez denied the reinvention of management to put the revival of one of the most popular and trend-setting sitcoms in the history of Philippine television, Iskul Bukol, which originally topbilled by comedy trio Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon from 1977 to 1990, and now is the millennial high school era of the sitcom which will be topbilled by today's hottest female teen stars Keith Cruz, Raisa Dayrit and Joyce Abestano, in the Saturday primetime slot called IBC Weekend Ang Dating.

The sitcom will be produced by IBC-13 and Secarats Talent Management Services, and occupying the Saturday primetime, which airs after the PBA games and before the drama anthology Joe D'Mango's Love Notes.

The new Iskul Bukol aligned to the K-12 high school curriculum and is set to premiere its pilot episode this Saturday, January 7.

The show's timeslot came as a surprise to the fans of KRJ and Tonton when it was announced at the show's press conference last night, December 29.

During the 70's and 80's, it was aired every Tuesday night. For thirteen years, the Escalera brothers, Professor Ungasis and Miss Tapia are some of the characters that made Iskul Bukol a household name in the ’80s.

This is the first time that the revival of the longest-running sitcom will be transformed and reformatted into a curriculum-based sitcom for the millennial high school level as a new format which similar to the likes of ABS-CBN's former youth-oriented sitcom Luv U and placed in a Saturday primetime slot.

Tonton said Wanbol University was not part of the sitcom anymore, since Iskul Bukol was being revived and reformatted into a millennial high school level for teens and young girls as a new format, according to the high school curriculum of the Department of Education (DepEd), a responsible for the K-12 basic education.

This will be in DIliman High School, the public high school which took over the setting for the new Iskul Bukol as the millennial high school era with a mix of junior and senior high school classmates, teachers and a gay principal. In the millennial high school era of the sitcom which will educate its viewers about Philippine basic education and Filipino learners with their millennial high school characters introduced to the viewing public.

The millennial high school era of Iskul Bukol will focus on the classmates' friendship with their family and friends, as well as the funny side of high school life.

With the new characters, the show hopes to attract new viewers as well.

The sitcom will focus on the hilarious and exciting high school teen story of the Escalera sisters: an ordinary high school teenager Keith and a cute and sassy high school girl Joyce, and the attractive and intelligent high school girl Raisa Ungasis, who just studied at the public high school Diliman High School where they learn the lesson about the classmates' friendship of high school life.

What is the reaction for the high school level era of Iskul Bukol to being placed in this timeslot?

“Tuwing eskwelang-kwela Sabado ng gabi,” said Keith whose one of its lead stars has enjoyed the high school life.

“Kung gusto nilang panoorin, papanoorin nila gusto para sa high school level para may suporta na ibibigay nila twuing Sabado ng gabi.

“Sana suportahan ninyo kami.”

On the other hand, Raisa considers this as an opportunity to showcase her breakthrough role as a good project to viewers, especially fans who have been waiting so long for the revival of the longest-running sitcom.

“Ang pinaka importante ay magkaroon kami ng millenniah high school na ipakita sa mga classmates namin.

“Basta maganda at naniniwala kami sa classmate namin, hindi importante ang oras dahil binigay naman namin ang lahat doon.”

Joyce believes, "Ako ang high school classmate para mag-aral sa loob ng Diliman High School."

"Ipapalabas na. Mapapanuod ng pinakabagong Iskul Bukol namin para sa high school level, ng young audience ang isang magandang public high school at 'yan ang pinakamahalaga para sa akin."In a separate interview after the press conference, Tonton said about the timeslot, “Siyempre, maraming junior at high high school classmates, teachers, gay principal at kilala mo ni adviser para sa bagong Iskul Bukol.

“Ilang years na rin panoorin sa IBC 13, ika-13 taon, nasanay silang panoorin noon tuwing Martes ng gabi"

“Ngayon, Sabado naman ng gabi, sana suportahan nila mga classmates.

“We're very excited na ipapalabas na ang show namin.

“Kasi dati, hindi namin alam kung kailan ipapalabas.

“Now, ito na po yun, mapapakulitan namin, lahat ng effort na binigay namin, mapapanood n'yo na po para high school level.”

Joining Keith, Raisa, Joyce and Tonton in the new Iskul Bukol are Alodia Gosiengfiao as Teacher Alodia, the very nice teacher of Diliman High School; Mr. Fu as Principal Oscar, the gay principal of Diliman High School; Mely Tagasa as Liwayway Gawgaw Tapia aka Miss Tapia, the resident teacher of Diliman High School as the only member of the original cast who had a crush on Principal Oscar; Kazel Kinouchi as Teacher Kazel, the beautiful teacher of Diliman High School; JC Tejano as Sir Rude, the adviser and high school newspaper editor of Diliman High School; Patrick Destura as Patrick Loyzaga, the popular high school boy as Joyce's love interest; the high school boys like Justin Ward, Harold Rementilla and introducing Andres Muhlach, Tess Antonio as the cafeteria owner Aning Francia; Aldred Gatchalian as Aning’s assistant Alwyn; and Victor Basa as Raffy, the coach of Diliman High School. The sitcom will also feature comedienne Cacai Bautista as Keith's nanny Cacai Escalera, Matthew Mendoza as the foster father of the Escalera family Mr. Matthew, Mariel Rodriguez as Raisa's mother Mariel Ungasis, Boom Labrusca as Raisa's father Luigi Ungasis, and the high school classmates are Patrisha Samson, Analyn Nacion, Zonia Mejia, Dexie Daulat, Aries Ace Espanola, Leann Ganzon, Lorin Gabriella Bektas and Miguel David.

Iskul Bukol is directed by Bert de Leon and Nilyano Retna.