'Iskul Bukol' transformed into a millennial high school

January 6, 2017

**WEEKEND ANG DATING** (right)
Keith Cruz (school uniform), Joyce Abestano (school uniform), Tonton Gutierrez, Raisa Dayrit (school uniform)
***Iskul Bukol*** (logo) (left)
Premieres January 7 (left)
SATURDAY
after the PBA
**IBC** (logo) (right)
*Pinoy Ang Dating* (right)
www.ibc.com.ph (right)
IBC-13 and Secarats partner for the revival of one of the most popular and trend-setting sitcoms in the history of Philippine television, *Iskul Bukol*.

IBC teen star and the Comedy Princess Joyce Abestano admitted that she already playing as one of its lead stars in the first-ever curriculum-based sitcom as a revival of the hit '70's and '80's sitcom to target the millennials and appears serious in establishing a comedy fare.

Abestano is the role as the ordinary high school teenager in the newest Saturday primetime curriculum-based sitcom *Iskul Bukol*, which regained itself as a revival of the longest-running sitcom, featuring Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon (collectively known as TVJ) and it was centered on their lives as students (Tito and Joey Escalera and Vic Ungasis) enrolled in a fictional school Wanbol University, it became a staple in millions of Filipino household on Tuesday evening from 1978-1990. 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 *Iskul Bukol 20 Years After (Ungasis and Escaleras Adventure)* in 2008.

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

Now with its new timeslot and revamp its weekend programming, the first-ever curriculum-based sitcom which will bring back the glory days of primetime comedies and aligned to the K-12 high school curriculum and focus on the classmates' friendship with their family and friends, as well as reflicts the funny side of high school life with three young and pretty high school girls, she joined the Runaway Princess Keith Cruz and the Comedienne Princess Raisa Dayrit (known as Iskul Bukol Girls) as the three high school teenagers involve to study at Diliman High School, the public high school where most of the comedy based on the K-12 high school curriculum of the Department of Education (DepEd) which provides high quality of education to permit for high school.

“We still go to school like ordinary teenagers because we know that their high school education is important,” Joyce says.

Joyce attend her second year high school studies as a Grade 8 pupil at Merry Knowledge Academe, Inc., while Keith is already studied at APEC Schools under home school program and Raisa at English Christian Academy.

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

Joyce, who just started in the industry in 2013, while Keith, whose started in the supporting role of *Glory Jane* in 2016, and Raisa, whose saw in *Hulog ng Langit* in 2016.

*Iskul Bukol* also marks the first time that the veteran actor Tonton Gutierrez, who dubbed as the King of All Media, will do a primetime sitcom since he started acting about 33 years ago and gained popularity as a father of female teen star Abestano.

Tonton is a dad, tatay, daddy and father rolled into one and Tonton is an actor where he learn the daughter. In *Iskul Bukol*, Tonton will play the role of Tonton Escalera, the father of the Escalera sisters.

Unlike the original, which was centered in Wanbol University for Tito, Vic and Joey, the new version 2.0 of the second incarnation and revival will now set in Diliman High School, the public high school with a mix of junior and senior high school classmates as a demographic for teens and young girls 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, it also train teachers and principals, very popular with the millennials.

The first-ever curriculum-based 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, Wilma 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 and housewives 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 curriculum-based sitcom appeal to young 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 curriculum-based teleserye *High School Life* is a good top-rater.

The sitcom, which will air every Saturday as the lead-out program after the Philippine Basketball Association games, it runs for 45 minutes per episode (including commercials), and will educate and attract the young viewers about Philippine basic education and Filipino learners.

**The remaining 3 characters**

Likewise, the original number has remained the three characters with a mix of junior and senior high school classmates, teachers and principal. The original version which involve the three main characters and now in the Diliman High School era for the newest weekend primetime sitcom for the high school level with a light and funny school-oriented storyline and will feature three high school teenagers: the Escalera sisters Joyce (Abestano), a cute and sassy high school girl and Keith (Cruz), an ordinary high school teenager and Raisa Ungasis (Dayrit), an attractive and intelligent high school girl.

They learn a valuable lesson in life for the classmates' friendship in Diliman High School when Joyce and Keith's father Tonton (Gutierrez) involve in the public high school. On their first day at Diliman High School, they meet Ma'am Alodia (Alodia Gosiengfiao)  a very nice teacher who rewarded their classmates and teach the value of the Escalera sisters and her favorite classmate Raisa. Tonton involve Ma'am Alodia to teach and learn the high school classmate Raisa as they involve the friendship of the Escalera sisters Joyce and Keith.

An innovation in the curriculum-based sitcom in Diliman High School, where Joyce, Keith and Raisa involve to study the hilarious fun and develop a classmates' friendship.

Under the direction of Bert de Leon and Nilyano Retna, joining Joyce, Keith, Raisa, Tonton and Alodia in the stellar cast of *Iskul Bukol* are Patrick Destura as the very popular high school boy Patrick Loyzaga who develops a crush on Joyce, the gay radio-TV personality Mr. Fu as Principal Oscar, Mely Tagasa as Liwayway Gawgaw Tapia aka Miss Tapia, the resident teacher of Diliman High School, Patrisha Samson, Justin Ward, Harold Rementilla, Chantal Videla, Andres Muhlach, Nathaniel Britt, Angelica Marañon, Amanda Lapus as Ma'am Amanda, Tess Antonio as the cafeteria owner Aning Francia, Victor Basa as Aning’s assistant Victor and Robby Mananquil as the coach in Diliman High School himself Robby. The sitcom will also feature Cacai Bautista as Keith's nanny and the maid in the Escalera family, Gian Sotto as Raisa's father, Dang Cruz as the maid for the Ungasis parents, Giselle Sanchez as Patrick's mother, Manny Castañeda as Patrick's grandfather, Matthew Mendoza as Patrisha's father, Caridad Sanchez as Patrisha's grandmother and the high school classmates of Diliman High School: Mianne Fajardo, Sajj Geronimo, Miguel David, Zhyvel Mallari, Lorin Gabriella Bektas and Aries Ace Espanola.

“There are also a plan to invite TVJ to appear as their guests,” said Joyce. In the sitcom, there were 16 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.”

The new *Iskul Bukol* is the first-ever curriculum-based sitcom for high school as part of the 3rd anniversary offering of Secarats and the newest addition to the network’s weekend primetime programming line-up of IBC-13 with the strong roster of top-rating primetime favorites, including the *PBA* games, *Maya Loves Sir Chief*, *Joe D’Mango’s Love Notes*, *Who Wants to be a Millionaire?*, *Born to be a Superstar*, another sitcom *Vic & Leen* and *Dingdong n’ Lani*.

*Iskul Bukol* will premiere on Saturday (January 7), 7 p.m. after the *PBA* match between NLEX Road Warriors and TNT Ka Tropa on IBC-13.

### **About *Iskul Bukol***

**WORKS**:
IBC
Secarats Talent Management Services
**EDUCATION**
Diliman High School
High School · Public & Government Service
Quezon City, Philippines
PLOT KEYWORDS: high school, classmate, teens, girls, high school student, teacher, principal, adviser, coach, school uniform, P.E. class, sitcom, school, family, skateboard, sister, group of friends, actor shares first name with character, first of series, best friend, friendship, classroom, library, teenager, high school life, based on song, title based on song, friend, cellphone, bathroom, taxi, trending, flashback, clinic, court, volleyball (varsity games), high school prom, pareants, dare, recitation, poem, blackboard, book, telephone, cellphone, mobile, tablet, cheating, calculator,  cheating, text, examination, cheating on a test, food fight (boodle fight), social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), boyfriend girlfriend relationship (laughter, love, kilig)
**About ISKUL BUKOL**
Show Description:
* From the revival of the original classic hit sitcom to the Saturday primetime curriculum-based sitcom, a first in Philippine television.
* The light and funny curriculum-based sitcom which will bring back the glory days of primetime comedies amd aligned to the K to 12 high school curriculum where the friendship of high school teenagers. The sitcom is set in the public high school Diliman High School by introducing the three high school girls.
* Funny and interesting characters revolves around the classmates' friendship with their family and friends, as well as reflects the funny side of high school life. They become the best of friends, and learning their good values and will surely the viewers laugh while teaching the lesson in the hilarious and exciting learner-centered high school teen story.