Iflix premiers first Filipino original series ‘Hoy! Bibig Mo’
IF there’s one thing Filipinos are known for besides their hospitality, it’s their sense of humor. Indeed, Filipinos are among the happiest people in the world despite the horrendous traffic and ever-failing MRT. They will always find the funny side to a difficult situation, thereby nurturing a growing number of talented stand-up comedians that can give professionals a run for their money.
No less than streaming service iFlix has noticed this phenomenon, striking a hot concept by producing its first Filipino original series, “Hoy! Bibig Mo.” A no- holdsbarred comedy series, the eight- episode production will be available for streaming or download beginning today. The show is hosted by noted comic and internet superstar, Ramon Bautista.
As such, subscribers can enjoy what is described as “the Philippines’ edgiest comedy club” on demand. The production searched from the sharpest, most audacious Filipino comedians take to the stage for Hoy! Bibig Mo with biting and quirky humour.
According to Bautista, “The jokes are bold, near-theknuckle and sometimes downright rude. The bottom line is— if it’s funny, it’s in.”
Chosen to bring on the laughs are Alex Calleja, GB Labrador, Tim Tayag and Mike Unson, tackling taboo subjects that audiences are unlikely to have heard before. The show is poised to unravel the next generation of Filipino comedy, featuring established acts alongside fresh, original talent, completely uncensored in a series of stand-up routines and riotous improvised games.
“Filipinos love to laugh. But there aren’t many platforms for them. On the side of the audience, there is no particular portal or a show that is available if they want to watch standup comedy. We do see a lot of comedy in television or variety shows but nothing of this kind. This comedy is true to life, close to the reality of the comedians,” Georgette Tengco, iflix Head of Content in the Philippines said at the program’s launch.
Iflix Global Director of Original Programming, Mark Francis echoed Tengo and said, “There is a lot of talent in standup comedy in many of our markets, and there aren’t any healthy ecosystems for the standup comics. Our long-term ambition is for the show and iFlix to be the place for standup comedy, especially because there are jokes that cannot be aired on TV. With this we’re--we let the comics say what they want to say as long as it is in the service of actual comedy.”
Hoy! Bibig Mo comes at the heels of the concepts success in Malaysia via “Oi! Jaga Mulut,” and has been produced alongside an Indonesian counterpart, “Oi! Jaga Lambe.”