Batibot is Back on TV5!

"Pagmulat ng mata, laging nakatawa sa Batibot

Tayo ng magpunta tuklasin sa Batibot

Ang saya ang tuwa

Doon sa Batibot, tayo na tayo na

Mga bata sa Batibot maliksi masigla

Doon sa Batibot, tayo na tayo na

Mga bata sa Batibot, bata sa Batibot

maliksi, masigla"

Remember that jingle from Batibot in the mid-80's? It's funny that I knew it by heart having been a fan of the show for years. I grew up watching both Batibot and Sesame Street, but I've learned to love Pong and Kiko more than Bert and Ernie. Perhaps because I could understand them better since they speak in vernacular, unlike their American counterparts, Bert and Ernie who'd always argue with each other. As a child, I loved listening to Kuya Bodjie Pascua's stories. For me, he's the best story teller ever! I could vividly recall how he would roll his eyes each time he'd tell a story with much enthusiasm. I've never seen anyone like Kuya Bodjie tells a story. He's simply the best. I also liked sisters Ningning and Gingging as well as Manang Bola who taught me Ba-Be-Bi-Bo-Bu.

The famous puppet duo from the show.

The Batibot trademark--the smiling sun behind the clouds.

I felt sad when the show had to bid television good bye in the early part or mid-part of 90's. Sad because kids will no longer have that chance to know friends like Pong and Kiko and the rest of the batibot neighborhood like Kuya Bodjie, Ate Sienna, Kapitan Basa etc. When Kyle was born in 2002, I wished that if Batibot would not resurrect on screen, they should have at least have re-reuns of the show so that kids like him would be able to watch the Philippines own educational show for television.

There have been other educational shows for television that soon graced the boobtube. Shows such as Atibapa (Awit, titik, bilang at iba pa), Bulilit, among others. But nothing compares to Batibot. They tried but they never duplicated the success of the show.

It's such a good thing, TV5 decided to bring back Batibot on TV. Just like Batibot's trademark logo, behind the clouds, the sun still smilingly shines on them. Batibot is back on TV. Yes, you're reading it right folks. Of course, the old cast, Ate Sienna and Kuya Bodjie may no longer be a part of the show, but it promises a whole new Batibot show that kids will love. I hope this new show would not disappoint its viewers though. I do hope it will be just as good as its old show since they are from the same brains behind the first Batibot show.

Batibot airs on TV5 every Saturdays at 8AM.

Batibot Photos were taken from the internet.