IN Episode 3 of FPJ’s Ang Batang Quiapo, Marsing (Pen Medina), a beggar who is well and able but pretends to have all kinds of ailments, lectures his fellow beggar to add a “gimmick” so that people will be more generous to them. Marsing suggests to him that he can pretend to be a blind man who just had a massive stroke so that he twitches and more people will take notice and give them money.
The people behind FPJ’s Ang Batang Quiapo may as well have heeded Marsing’s advice. While it is as kinetic as FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano when it comes to its action scenes, Batang Quiapo has decided to take it a notch higher adding a notable gimmick to make it more appealing: the hustle and bustle of daily life in Quiapo.
Don’t get me wrong. FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano was a very successful show that lasted eight years on primetime because of its action and dramatic scenes. While the defunct show had glimmers of humor and light scenes and even some romance, FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano dominated and became known for its fast pace and suspenseful storylines. FPJ’s Batang Quiapo takes this winning formula but adds more heart.
In the pilot week of the TV series, we see lead actor Coco Martin, who plays Tanggol, a stubborn but charming man who traverses the daily life of Quiapo. Tanggol always seeks the validation of his parents and his lola. He still isn’t aware of his true identity (more on that later). Tanggol may be naughty but he is also a lot of nice, rescuing his brother from a riot, or acting sweet with his close friend Mokang (Lovi Poe).
Unknown to Tanggol, he is the son of Ramon Montenegro, a notorious criminal back in the day who is now spending years in prison where he reigns as the most powerful inmate. Eventually, he escapes after a bloody riot and sets out to be king of the streets of Quiapo again.
What makes FPJ’s Ang Batang Quiapo such a delight to watch is the passion of the program to showcase Quiapo—its color, music and humor. Based on the hit 1980s movie starring Fernando Poe Jr., this new adaptation is a powerful show that peerlessly makes use of its colorful setting and has striking authenticity. The storyline so far is very realistic and the cast, astonishingly genuine. The show has crafted a stunning portrait of persevering life in the slums of Quiapo. And with hip editing and direction, the picture screams of pure entertainment.
Based on the ratings, FPJ’s Ang Batang Quiapo is now one of the highest-rated TV program, if not the highest-rated. It constantly trends on social media and has amassed more than a million views already. Lead star Coco Martin, who is also the showrunner and the director-producer, expressed his gratitude to the viewers for their overwhelming support, saying, “Nakakatuwa kasi na-appreciate nila ’yung pinaghirapan namin. Kasi talagang dugo at pawis ito.”
FPJ’s Ang Batang Quiapo airs on weeknights at 8 pm on Kapamilya Channel, A2Z, TV5, iWantTFC, and Kapamilya Online Live on ABS-CBN Entertainment’s YouTube channel and Facebook page. Viewers who use any digital TV box at home such as the TVplus box only need to rescan their device to be able to watch FPJ’s Batang Quiapo on TV5 and A2Z. The show is also available to viewers in and out of the Philippines on iWantTFC, while viewers outside of the Philippines can watch on The Filipino Channel (TFC) on cable and IPTV.