Iskool Bukol

Iskool Bukol is a Philippine school-oriented teen situational comedy produced by IBC and Secarats Talent Management Services every Saturday after Express Balita Weekend. It is the first sitcom of IBC partnered with Secarats and also known as a revival of Iskul Bukol, the longest-running primetime comedy sitcom in Philippine television history, both of which were directed by Bert de Leon. It is topbilled by Keith Cruz, Raisa Dayrit and Joyce Abestano, together with Tonton Gutierrez and Erich Gonzales. It premiered on January 7, 2017 on IBC, and worldwide on Global IBC.

Like the original sitcom, which centered on three characters, the school-oriented teen sitcom centered on their lives of three high school classmate girls (Keith and Anne Escalera and Raisa Ungasis) of the fictional Diliman High School.

About Iskool Bukol
From the makers of the original classic hit sitcom Iskul Bukol now in a millennial high school teen level in the very popular Saturday primetime sitcom Iskool Bukol. The light and funny school-oriented teen sitcom will be set in 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 friends, and learning their good values and will surely the viewers laugh while teaching the lession in high school.

Plot
Iskool Bukol centered on their lives of three high school classmate girls of the fictional Diliman High School: the ordinary high school teenager Keith (Keith Cruz), an attractive and intelligent high school teenage girl Raisa (Raisa Dayrit) and the cute and sassy high school girl Anne (Joyce Abestano), who are achieve to study for subject.

Their academic high school friendship when Keith and Anne's father Anton (Tonton Gutierrez) and Keith's mother Leslie (Angelu de Leon) are the Escalera family, while Raisa's mother Maricar (Jennica Garcia) and her father Luigi (Boom Labrusca) paired with Raisa as a high school teenager as they learn with Keith and Anne in a valuable lesson despite the hilarious fun of friendship.

Main Casts

 * Keith Cruz as Keith Escalera - an ordinary high school teenager. One half of the Escalera sisters as a high school classmate, who involve an academic friendship in every episode.
 * Raisa Dayrit as Raisa Ungasis - an attractive and intelligent high school teenage girl. The Escalera sisters often study on her during class.
 * Joyce Abestano as Anne Escalera - a cute and sassy high school girl. The other Escalera sister as a high school classmate. In the sitcom, she learned a crush on her bestfriend, Chester.
 * Tonton Gutierrez as Anton Escalera - Keith and Anne's father. Later in the sitcom, Anton involve a relationship with Teacher Erich at Diliman High School.
 * Erich Gonzales as Teacher Erich Mendoza - the teacher girl of Diliman High School. In the sitcom, she involve as Anton's love interest.

Supporting Cast

 * Mr. Fu as Principal Oscar - the principal of Diliman High School.
 * Mely Tagasa as Liwayway Gawgaw Tapia aka Miss Tapia - the resident professor of Diliman High School who often gets on the nerves of Principal Oscar. Although she admires Anton Escalera as a father and her favorite classmate is Raisa Ungasis.
 * Fred Lo as Rudolfo "Rude" Aquino - the good-looking but nerdy adviser, the foster brother of Chester and the youngest adviser of Diliman High School; later Teacher Erich's childhood teacher who used to teach her.
 * Angelu de Leon as Leslie Escalera - Keith's mother.
 * Jennica Garcia as Maricar Ungasis - Raisa's mother.
 * Boom Labrusca as Luigi Ungasis - Raisa's father.
 * Francis Magundayao as Joselito "Tito" Montero - Keith's bestfriend.
 * Justin Ward as Chester Aquino - Tito's bestfriend and Anne's love interest.
 * Harold Rementilla as Josemari "Joey" Montero - Raisa's friend.
 * Andres Muhlach as Adie Bautista - Keith's friend.
 * Tess Antonio as Anita "Aning" Francia,- the cafeteria owner of Diliman High School.
 * Aldred Gatchalian as Alwyn Tejada - Aning’s assistant of Diliman High School.
 * Neil Coleta as Raffy Arellano - the coach of volleyball in Diliman High School.

Other Cast

 * Alodia Gosiengfiao as Teacher Alodia Montenegro - the very nice teacher of Diliman High School who involve on the friendship of Escalera girls. Teacher Alodia was romantically connected with Principal Oscar. (from the supporting role on January 7 to 28, 2017 and relegated as other cast).
 * Patrisha Samson as Eula Umali - Keith's bestfriend in Diliman High School.
 * Zonia Mejia as Abby Garcia - Anne's classmate/friend.
 * Dexie Daulat as Viviana "Bibeth" Ortega - Anne's classmate/friend.
 * Aries Ace Espanola as Jimmy Pedrosa - Chester's classmate/friend.
 * Miguel David as Dexter Romero - Chester's classmate/friend.

Guest Casts

 * Jane de Leon as Alyssa Aguilar (January 7, 2017)
 * Luis Gabriel Moreno as Alexander Madrid (January 14, 2017)
 * Erika Mae Salas as Phoebe delos Santos (January 21, 2017)
 * Francyss Abuan as Janus Legaspi (January 28, 2017)
 * John Bermundo as Chubi Gonzales (February 4, 2017)
 * Cherryz Mendoza as Gabbi Salvador (February 11, 2017, Valentines Day episode)
 * Rico dela Paz as Edgar de Leon (February 11, 2017, Valentines Day episode)
 * Aljur Abrenica as Albert Trinidad - Anne's love interest. (February 18, 2017)
 * Sarah Ortega as Linda Eriguel (February 25, 2017)
 * Tito Sotto as Tito Escalera (March 4, 2017)
 * Vic Sotto as Vic Ungasis (March 4, 2017)
 * Joey de Leon as Joey Escalera (March 4, 2017)
 * Michael Tañeca as Oliver Cortez (March 11, 2017)
 * Alyssa Angeles as Joanne Ruiz (March 18, 2017)
 * Adrian Desabille as Ivan Loyzaga (March 25, 2017)
 * Zaijian Jaranilla as Joshua Forbes (April 1, 2017)
 * Kristine Sablan as Andrea Ramirez (Crossover in the afternoon teleserye High School Life) (April 8, 2017)
 * Paulo Angeles as Edward Santiago (April 22, 2017)
 * Ella Cruz as Franchesca Fulgar (April 29, 2017)
 * Mavy Legaspi as Patrick Aguilar (May 6, 2017)
 * Chacha Cañete as Ryza Manabat (during Raisa birthday) (May 13, 2017)
 * Margaret Planas as Julia Medel (May 20, 2017)
 * Russiane Jandris Ilao as BJ Magundayao (May 27, 2017)
 * Stephanie Bangcot as Loisa Mendoza (June 3, 2017)
 * Aaron Rosario as Dominic Aguas (June 10, 2017)
 * Sarah Lahbati as Andrea Reyes (Father's Day episode) (June 17, 2017)
 * Basti Gonzales as Rafael Valdez (June 24, 2017)
 * Rita Gaviola as Sarah Gonzaga (July 1, 2017)
 * Harvey Bautista as Enzo Paderna (July 8, 2017)
 * Kyline Alcantara as Erika Salvador (July 15, 2017)
 * Sceven Nolasco as Janus Padilla (July 22, 2017)
 * Bimby Aquino-Yap, Jr. as Bimby Mendoza (July 29, 2017)
 * Crissel Ignacio as Mutya Manabat (August 5, 2017)
 * Keempee de Leon as Wacky Roque (August 12, 2017)
 * Elijah Rodriguez as Carlos Madrid (August 19, 2017)
 * Belle Mariano as Alyssa Mendez (August 26, 2017)

Production and development
27 years after the end of the original TV sitcom of IBC, this will be first revealed by Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon on the November 17th episode of the top-rating noontime show Eat Bulaga! (aired on GMA). Tito, Vic and Joey voiced their ten-minute resentment over IBC management and Tonton Gutierrez will be accepting a sitcom for IBC. the former station of Tito, Vic and Joey (currently topbill for Joey in the Saturday primetime comedy gag show T.O.D.A.S.) as they brought back Iskul Bukol will be turned into a millennial high school level which will be topbilled himself by Tonton and will feature the pretty and cute Escalera girls. "Magbabalik Na, May High School Pa Rin, Iskul Bukol" trended on Twitter for several hours after the announcement. Five days later on November 22, IBC president and CEO Boots Anson-Roa announced that Iskul Bukol made a comeback, but this time not in Wanbol University because they unveiled the concept of a school-oriented teen sitcom which had a partnership of Secarats Talent Management Services, a production unit and the line producer of the sequestered network led by the owner and producer Francisco Abuan, Jr. particularly involve the high school education regulated by the Department of Education (DepEd), a responsible for the K–12 basic education.

During the trade launch of IBC on November 25, 2016 at the Bonifacio Global City Open Field in Taguig City, in celebration of its 40th anniversary of Iskul Bukol in 2017, IBC and Secarats unveiled the original 70s and 80s sitcom was returned and revived on IBC under the new title Iskool Bukol which will be turned into a school-oriented teen sitcom featuring the three high school characters. Composed of today's hottest female teen stars under Secarats Artist Group: the Runaway Princess Keith Cruz, the Comedienne Princess Raisa Dayrit and introducing Bida Best 2016 gorgeous second runner-up and the Teen Model Sweetheart Joyce Abestano, collectively known as KRJ. The teen triumvirate is a 2.0 version of their counterparts Tito, Vic and Joey.

IBC and Secarats management conceptualized and developed the school-oriented sitcom will be cater to a young audience in the millennial teen demographics were preteens and teens (13- to 19-years-old age), and aimed to target in both junior high school and senior high school.

Since November 29, 2016, IBC has started uploading all the throwback episodes of Iskul Bukol on the network's YouTube channel, as prior to the premiere of Iskool Bukol.

Casting
Iskool Bukol marks the first sitcom of Keith Cruz in her second project after Glory Jane; the second project of Raisa Dayrit landed in her breakthrough role after Hulog ng Langit and the very first project of Bida Best 2016 gorgeous second runner-up Joyce Abestano in her major sitcom debut. The newly established trio of Keith, Raisa and Joyce (KRJ) created the primetime school-oriented sitcom. It also marks the first ever major sitcom of Tonton Gutierrez under IBC after 33 years of being show business and gained popularity itself as a father of Joyce. Mely Tagasa, who plays the role of Miss Tapia in the original 70s and 80s sitcom Iskul Bukol, is back on IBC and this time as the resident professor at the fictional Diliman High School. Francis Magundayao also landed in his fifth project after the supporting role in 5 Girls and Daddy, the main role of Friends 4Ever, the supporting role in Princess Charm and another main role in Glory Jane, while Justin Ward also joined the school-oriented sitcom and his second project after Glory Jane and the third project of Harold Rementilla after Hulog ng Langit and the host of the afternoon kiddie game show Fun House.

In February 2017, it was announced that Erich Gonzales would also be joining the sitcom as one of the main cast after signed a regular contract with IBC in February 1, 2017 as she portrayed the role as the teacher girl in Diliman High School.

Original story conference
On November 28, 2016 at Broadcast City, Captiol Hills, Diliman, Quezon City at 7:30pm, the story conference happened for Iskool Bukol was held with the original director Bert de Leon and Nilyano Retna. The stellar cast, production team and IBC and Secarats management and executives were present at the storycon. They watched some clips of the original sitcom whose enjoyed watching the sitcom that they grew up in the 70s and 80s in order to regain with a millennial teen audience. The original concept of Iskul Bukol made a comeback, but not in Wanbol University because of the original sitcom for only college and university level at the time (1977-1990), the school-oriented sitcom will now be set in Diliman High School, the public high school for both junior and senior level in order to target the millennial teen demographics.

Taping
The production began the pilot episode in the make-up room of IBC Production Studio where they taped the school-oriented teen sitcom on December 3, 2016 in a studio set in Studio 5 of IBC in Broadcast City (for Escalera family (Keith, Joyce, Tonton, Angelu) and Raisa family (Raisa, Jennica, Boom) with the academic set in the public high school Diliman High School (a yellow building with the same lettering and Philippine flag: one classroom with a school desks, library, bathroom, cafeteria and canteen).

Marketing
During commercial gap of IBC and Secarats-produced romantic-comedy series, You Light Up My Life, the teaser released on December 5, 2016 by using the locally-produced 3D-animated teaser with some clips of the original sitcom on YouTube, Tito, Vic and Joey remembered the sitcom Iskul Bukol during the 70s and 80s, the original sitcom was aired on IBC from 1977 to 1990. Now almost 40 years, the original sitcom Iskul Bukol made a comeback and this time, they will be in Diliman High School under the new title Iskool Bukol.

On December 10, 2016, IBC also released the teaser trailer for the school-oriented sitcom on YouTube, using the locally-produced 3D-animated teaser featuring Cruz, Dayrit and Abestano in Diliman High School. Another 3D-animated teaser followed on December 14, and once again featuring Cruz, Dayrit and Abestano in Diliman High School. On December 23, 2016, the full-length trailer trailer was released. Soon after, the trailer became a top trending topic nationwide on Twitter. Two days later, the official poster was released.

Promotion
On December 29, 2016 at Rockwell Center in Makati City at 5:00pm, a press conference will be held for the introduction of the school-oriented teen sitcom. The media ask the members of the sitcom. The following media and the leading newspapers that published articles about Iskool Bukol are Manila Bulletin, The Philippine Star, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Sun Star, ibc.com.ph, PEP.ph, Starmometer, BusinessWorld, showbiz-portal.com, Tempo, ShowbizNest, Malaya, Manila Standard Today, Abante Tonite, etc.

Merchandise
IBC and Secarats advantage of the school-oriented teen sitcom discovered that KRJ merchandise and the partnership with Sari-Sari Kapinoy entitled Iskool Bukol Items, the merchandise that produce a toys, notebooks, pencils, eraser, dolls, bag, watches, ballpen, 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.

Trivia

 * The revival of the 70s and 80s sitcom is now part of Saturday primetime, instead of Tuesday primetime (in the original 70s and 80 sitcom) because of the daily primetime dramas.
 * The sitcom will now setting in the fictional Diliman High School, a public high school because of the junior high school and senior high school as the teen demographic at the 13- to 19-year-old and above; instead of Wanbol University (in the original 70s and 80s sitcom) which focus on their college and university students.