Kapamilya noontime variety show It’s Showtime last Saturday, June 13, was warmly welcomed back and celebrated by the Madlang People, even making its official hashtag, #ShowtimeMagkaisayahan the top trending topic on Twitter Philippines and worldwide.
Aside from the happiness that the viewers felt as they witnessed Vice Ganda, Vhong Navarro, Jhong Hilario, Karylle, Jugs Jugueta, and Teddy Corpuz, along with Jackie Gonzaga and Ion Perez on the same stage again, the hosts themselves were emotional as they finally got together after more than a month since the media giant was forced to halt its broadcast operations last May 5.
Vice Ganda emotionally said, “Yes, madlang pipol, we are back! We are so back! Ang sarap sa pakiramdam.
“Na-miss ko itong studio na ito, na-miss ko kayong lahat, na-miss ko ang Showtime! I’m about to lose control and I just can’t hide it!
“And I’m sure, yung mga madlang pipol sa bahay nila, naku, lalo na iyong mga miss na miss tayo, mga nakangiti ngayon dahil, ito, nakaere na naman tayo. At uulitin ko, madlang pipol, we are back!
“Madlang pipol, hindi pa po tapos ang laban natin sa pandemya, pero hayaan niyo pong batiin namin kayo ng isang masaya, naghuhimiyaw, at nananabik na tanghali!
“Nagsusumidhi, uumalab sa kasiyahan ang buong Showtime family sa pagbabalik namin na ito.
“Na-miss po namin talaga ang entabladong ito, na-miss namin ang isa’t isa at, higit sa lahat, walang kyeme, madlang pipol, miss na miss na po namin kayong lahat.
“Miss na miss na namin kayo, madlang pipol, na nakatutok ngayon at manonood mamaya sa delayed telecast!
“Maraming salamat po, miss na miss na po natin ang isa’t isa, kaya naman po, heto na, magkakasama ulit tayo!”
As the program went on, Vhong and Jhong also made fun of the comedienne’s sexy black outfit with a matching big black hat that had a veil that can be put aside to reveal his face.
While comparing the ‘Unkabogable Star’s’ hat to a lampshade, Jhong mused, “Tanghali na, patayin mo na ang lampshade! Nagtaka ako, nakasarado iyan kanina, bumukas!,” earning a laugh from his co-hosts.
Vice acted to close his hat’s curtain again but before he could do it, he began saying, “Huwag na, huwag na! Nagbukas nga tayo, isasara pa!
“Nagbukas na tayo, e. Kapag nagbukas na, please, huwag na isara!” he added, but his last statement was seemingly pertaining to the show’s reappearance on air.
Before the historic closure of one of the biggest broadcasting stations in the country, TV productions and tapings were put on hold due to the on-going lockdown in Luzon caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. While on-going shows were temporarily replaced by old programs, some shows opted to go Live via social media platforms or Zoom app to continue to give happiness and joy to people especially during this trying time when entertainment is needed the most.
On May 5, right after the final episode of its newscast, TV Patrol, the network signed-off following a cease-and-desist order issued by the National Telecommunications Commission on May 5 after its franchise expired on May 4.
Since then, the broadcasting company went off-air.
But, after its three-month halt of operations due to lockdown and franchise expiration, Kapamilya programs are now on air again through the Kapamilya channel while the request for a fresh 25-year franchise is still being discussed by lawmakers in Congress. ABS-CBN programs finally returned on-air on Saturday, June 13, via cable and satellite TVs on the said channel.
Kapamilya Channel is a 24-hour channel that airs programs produced and acquired by the media giant.
