After several months of fun-filled and heartwarming stories, GMA Network's well-loved family sitcom "Pepito Manaloto: Kuwento, Kuwento" airs its season finale this Saturday (May 29).
Pepito Manaloto, a brainchild of Concept Creator, Creative Director, and lead actor Michael V., has been a staple source of honest-to-goodness entertainment for many Filipino households since 2010. Through its well-rounded and value-laden plot and characters with whom viewers can easily resonate, the show has earned the nods of various award-winning bodies during its decade-long run.
The sitcom follows the rags-to-riches journey of an ordinary person, Pepito (Michael V.), who was blessed with extraordinary luck after winning the lottery. Together with his wife Elsa (Manilyn Reynes) and his children Clarissa (Angel Satsumi) and Chito (Jake Vargas), Pepito must maneuver the ins and outs of his family's new reality as multi-millionaires, all while being documented by a camera crew for a TV show.
Playing equally important roles are John Feir as Patrick, Ronnie Henares as Tommy, Mosang as Baby, Janna Dominguez as Maria, Arthur Solinap as Robert, Jessa Zaragoza as Deedee, and Nova Villa as Mimi. Making the lives of the Manalotos more interesting are Chariz Solomon, Mikoy Morales, Tony Lopena, Cherry Malvar, Maureen Larrazabal, Jen Rosendahl.
As the season draws to an end this Saturday, Michael V. shares the greatest value that the show wishes for the viewers to reflect on, "Ang core talaga ng Pepito Manaloto, 'yung personality niya at ng pamilya niya, hindi nagbago. Kumbaga pusong mahirap pa rin sila. Marunong silang mag-value ng mga tao at bagay and at the same time, alam nila 'yung meaning ng totoong pamilya. More often than not, nababanggit ng show 'yan as a reminder na hindi talaga 'yung materyal na bagay ang importante - lahat 'yan mawawala. Pero 'yung pananalig mo sa Diyos, 'yung pagmamahal mo sa pamilya at mga kaibigan mo, 'yun ang hindi ka talaga iiwan."
Manilyn, in turn, sends her sincerest gratitude to all the viewers for sticking around with them through it all, "Kahit na ganoon ang nangyari at alam naman natin na mahirap ang taping nitong nagdaang taon, happy pa rin kami na ang mga tao hindi sila bumibitaw simula noon hanggang ngayon. Nandiyan pa rin sila. Masaya kami na nakakapagbigay pa rin po kami ng entertainment at happiness sa kanila sa panahong ito."
In its season finale, while Elsa (Manilyn), who has been invited as a feature baker at the Central Luzon Food Trade Expo in Pampanga, and Pepito (Michael V.), who has been invited by the Philippine Embassy in Korea to speak at a business conference, both prepare for their respective events - the whole household is encountering a problem.
The TV crew who has been following them around is getting in their way. Even after almost a decade of sharing their lives with the viewing public, this time with the pandemic, it feels like their world has gotten more crowded.
When the producer of the TV reality show about their lives talks to Pepito, he wants to make plans for their new season. Will Pepito decide to move forward or move on?
Don’t miss the season finale of “Pepito Manaloto: Kuwento, Kuwento" – under the helm of esteemed director Bert de Leon - this Saturday, 6:15 pm, on GMA-7.