Let’s take a trip down memory lane.
Remember those days when we used to start our day with Pong Pagong and Kiko Matsing or Anatom and Agatom. How about singing the alphabet in a different tune and singing the lines “el em en enye… en-gee ow pi”? How about shouting, “4:30 na!!! Ang TV na!!!”
Yes, those were the days.
We’ve compiled here 10 kid-oriented Pinoy TV shows we used to enjoy when we were young.
WARNING: a dose of nostalgia included.
10 Pinoy TV Shows We Watched When We Were Kids
10. 5 and Up
A tele-magazine TV show that aired from May 1992 to July 2002, 5 and Up is idea of an eight-year old boy who was fond of watching the investigative TV program, The Probe Team. Zak Yuson, nephew of The Probe Team’s executive producer and head investigative journalist Cheche Lazaro, was the kid who had the idea of having kids as the The Probe Team’s reporters for one episode. With the rave reviews, The Probe Team decided to create decided to create a spin-off program, which went known to become 5 and Up.
The TV show had quite a number of kid reporters coming and going. Some of its popular graduates include Atom Araullo, Chynna Ortaleza, Maxene Magalona, and Rayver Cruz.
5 and Up originally aired on ABC 5 (now TV 5) then moved to GMA Network.
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9. Hiraya Manawari
Hiraya Manawari is a fairy tale TV show made for kids that aired on ABS-CBN. The premise of most episodes involves traveling to a magical land, meeting mythical creatures, and fighting off evil. Eventually, it teaches kids about being courageous, loving, respectful, and honest.
Hiraya is a deeper from of “sana” while manawari is “matupad”. Hiraya Manawari translates to “sana matupad” or “hope it happens”. Figuratively, it means “reach your dreams”.
8. Bayani
Bayani is an educational kid’s TV show that aired from 1995 to 2001 on ABS-CBN. It follows the main characters, Ana and Noli, on their adventures traveling to the past to retrieve historical items for an old woman (in other episodes, man) living inside a cave. In their magical journeys, they usually meet some Filipino heroes including our national hero, Jose Rizal.
If I remember correctly, Bayani and Hiraya Manawari were shown one after the other.
7. Chikiting Patrol
Chikiting Patrol is children show that first aired on ABS-CBN from 1988 to 1990. Then it moved to GMA Network and aired from 1990 to 2002. After a two-year hiatus, it aired back on ABC 5 (now TV 5) from 2004 to 2006.
In 1990, it was awarded as the Best Children’s TV Show by the Catholic Mass Media Awards.
(Boyoyong!)
6. Boyoyong
Boyoyong has gotten me over my fear of clowns when I was a kid. No, not really. But they were fun to watch.
And believe it or not, Eat Bulaga’s Jose Manalo was one of the clowns. I just can’t remember if he was Bobo, Yoyo, or Ong Ong.
5. Math Tinik
Math Tinik is a TV show that made the study of math easy, fun, and interactive. This show used animation and magical characters to persuade the kids to study math. Sometimes, it has enriching activities so the audience will interact.Â
Math Tinik covered topics on numeration, addition, multiplication, decimals, and fractions. Math riddles were also a common part of the show.
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4. Sineskwela
Sineskwela was one of my favorite morning weekday show on ABS-CBN.
It is an award-winning show that aired on ABS-CBN at around 9-ish in the morning from Monday to Friday. Its main characters were Anatom, Agatom, Ugat-Puno, Kulitsap, Palikpik, Kuya Bok, and Ate Winnie. They discussed complicated science and technology principles in simpler terms via dramatization and visual effects.
Like Math Tinik, the show made learning about a school subject (specifically Science) fun and entertaining.
3. ATBP
ATBP (pronounced as “At Iba Pa”) is the show that taught me how to sing “ABC” in a different way, with “ñ” and “ng” included.
ATBP, an abbreviation for “Awit, Titik, Bilang, na Pambata”, is an educational children’s program that taught kids about singing, counting, and the Filipino alphabet.
Fun fact: Piolo Pascual was first seen on this show. He played Kuya Miguel.
2. Ang TV
Do wah diddy, diddy, dum diddy do…
Yeah, I bet you remember that. That was Ang TV’s opening theme song while clips of every cast along with their name were flashed for a while on the screen.
More of a youth-oriented TV show than a kids show, still I followed it as a kid because of its hilarious gag skits starting with “Esmyuskee” and ending with “Nge!”
Ang TV aired from October 19, 1992 to January 3, 1997. Due to its popularity, the franchise released a movie in 1996 entitled “Ang TV Movie: The Adarna Adventure.”
Some of the popular actors and actresses today were product of Ang TV including Angelica Panganiban, John Prats, Camille Prats, Maxene Magalona, Claudine Barretto, Angelu de Leon, Jolina Magdangal, Kaye Abad, Paolo Contis, Patrick Garcia, and Rica Peralejo.
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1. Batibot
Batibot is the Pinoy Sesame Street with the headliner tandem of Pong Pagong and Kiko Matsing. It is the longest running children’s TV show of Philippine Children’s Television Foundation, Inc. (PCTVF) and Sesame Workshop (Children’s Television Workshop), airing from 1984 to 2002. PCTVF and CTW broke their relationship in 1989.
Originally, it aired with the title Sesame! but was later on renamed to Batibot. Initially, it was an English and Filipino TV show but after changing to Batibot, it became solely a Filipino-language children’s TV show.
As the longest running show, it was aired on various channels. It began on RPN and PTV. In 1991, it transferred to ABS-CBN but went back to RPN in 1994. In 1995, it transferred to GMA Network. At that time, it’s TV viewership began to decline due to rapid development of cable TV that showed kid’s programs on Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, and Cartoon Network. In addition to that, ABS-CBN also had its own kid-oriented shows, which also added to the stiff competition. Eventually, it went off air due to that. It made a quick comeback on RPN in 1998 but then ceased again due to low viewership.
Other memorable characters from Batibot are Manang Bola, Ningning and Gingging, Irma Daldal, Sitsiritsit and Alibangbang, and Kapitan Basa. Batibot’s resident storyteller is Kuya Bodjie.
What’s your favorite TV show when you were a kid?
What else can we add on this list?
Share them with us!
