It’s official! Kapuso Primetime King and Queen Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera are set to make their much awaited TV comeback with the sitcom ‘Jose & Maria’s Bonggang Villa.’
Last April 25, the two Kapuso prime stars attended the contract signing together with GMA Network and APT Entertainment executives who showed their full support via video messages and their presence at Luxent Hotel.
Present during the momentous event were GMA Network Films, Inc. President and Programming Consultant to the Chairman and CEO Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes; First Vice President for Program Management Department Jose Mari R. Abacan; and Assistant Vice President for Program Management Department Concie Agnes.
In attendance from APT Entertainment were CEO and President Michael Tuviera; COO and CFO Jojo Oconer; and Vice President for Production Operations Camille Montaño.
Dingdong expresses his heartfelt gratitude to GMA and APT for this partnership, “Na-realize namin na naging tahanan namin ang GMA for the past two decades and forever grateful kami sa tiwala na binigay ninyo sa amin. It was because of GMA kung bakit ko nakilala ang aking mapapangasawa at dahil ‘dun nagtayo kami ng sarili naming tahanan at doon nangyari ang idea na mag-shoot kami ng small videos sa bahay na ang title ay ‘Jose at Maria.’ Doon ko na-realize na ang sarap talaga ka-trabaho ni Marian na sobrang professional at sobrang galing at kahit sa mini-videos na ‘yun ay ganun pa rin ang kanyang dedication. That’s why sabi namin, we want to bring this to the next level. That’s where APT comes in na nagtiwala sa amin at sa concept na puwede namin gawin together. I’m very grateful for the trust, for building on the idea, at dahil ‘dun nanganak ang tahanan naming maliit sa isang mas magandang konsepto which is ‘Bonggang Villa’ kaya maraming salamat APT for everything and of course, sa GMA, for trusting us with this one. Para sa amin hindi lang siya trabaho or task as an actor, this is also very personal to us, dahil dream namin ito, na makasama ulit ang isa’t isa sa trabaho, na makabilang sa isang show that we are also part of through co-producing and creating.”
Marian agrees with Dingdong that this is a dream project for them, “Isa ito sa mga pinangarap namin, lalo na sa akin kasi ang tagal ko nang hindi lumabas sa primetime, hindi ako makapaniwala na totoo na ito, na mangyayari na ito kasi pangarap ko talaga magkaroon ng sitcom kasama si Dong. So ito na ang pangarap na ‘yun kaya sabi ko sa mga taong nagmamahal at naghihintay, malapit n’yo nang mapanood sina Maria at Jose.”
GMA Network Chairman and CEO Atty. Felipe L. Gozon reveals that the fans of Dingdong and Marian are definitely looking forward to their comeback project, “Sina Dingdong at Marian ay dalawa sa mga homegrown talents ng GMA Network na naging pinaka-popular. Ang kanilang mga programa ay puro matataas ang rating. Kaya naman excited kami sa kanilang first sitcom dito sa GMA. Nakakasiguro kami na ang kanilang maraming fans dito sa Pilipinas at abroad will welcome them back in TV very soon.”
Executive Vice President and CFO Felipe S. Yalong, on the other hand, shares the fans’ excitement to finally meet Jose and Maria, “Congratulations, Dingdong and Marian! We are excited to meet Jose and Maria in this new sitcom and we are so proud of how much you two have grown, as individual artists in your craft, and now, as co-producers of GMA. We are looking forward to many more partnerships with you.”
Gozon-Valdes highlights how big and special this project is, “We’ve always loved working with APT and mas special ang project na ito kasi pagbibidahan ng ating pinakamamahal na Primetime King and Queen ng GMA. What’s even more special about this is partners namin sila sa programang ito. I’m sure sabik na sabik na ang lahat na mapanood sila back in television and magkasama pa ang dalawang pinaka-talented at sikat na artista ng Pilipinas. We are very excited to finally have this show on air and sana magustuhan ito ng mga manonood.”
Abacan gladly welcomes APT and the Kapuso couple in the roster of GMA partnerships with various content producers, “I’m very happy because these past few days magmula noong mag-pandemya, nagkaroon tayo ng maraming partnerships with GMA. Ikinagagalak ko na syempre hindi makukumpleto ang partnerships kung hindi natin magiging partner ang APT at ang pinakamamahal na hari at reyna ng Primetime. So, very happy kami ngayon na magkakatrabaho na tayo this time in something that they’re going to be producing as well. So, I’d like to welcome APT and Marian and Dingdong.”
Meanwhile, Tuviera, says that Dingdong and Marian inspired him with their dedication to their craft, “Sobra akong na-inspire because I’ve been wanting to work with them for the longest time as producers also as co-producers. I think first time nila ulit to be together on screen in more than 10 years. So, it’s such a big honor for APT to be partnering with GMA again, of course, and for the first time naman as co-producers not just our lead stars, the royal couple. Thank you very much for this opportunity Dong and Yan and we look forward to this journey.”
Lastly, Oconer expresses his excitement on the partnership, “Kami sa APT, we are very excited and grateful to be working with really good friends. Sila Dingdong, Marian, Joey, Ms. Annette and everybody from GMA. We are just looking forward to this sitcom.”
Catch ‘Jose & Maria’s Bonggang Villa’ beginning May 14 on GMA Network.
For more updates, visit www.gmanetwork.com.
