Batibot (1984-2002)

Some of my college teachers mentioned what they remember what they watched when they're youth. One of the things I heard them before was the first line of the song: "Pagmulat ng mata, langit nakatawa sa Batibot, sa Batibot...". What they mean is that they're favorite classic childhood show Batibot. Many adults who catch up this show remember that show even for teenagers who were born in 90's.

Before the existence of PSP, computer games and a bunch of violent anime shows, many Filipino kids during mid-80's started to watch Batibot. Batibot was first aired around 1984 and created by Sesame Workshop (the company who also created Sesame Street!) and Philippine Children's Television Foundation Inc. (PCTVF). In 1989, the two companies broke and PCTVF made allegibly the rights of making a Filipino educational show. Originally, Batibot is the Filipino version of Sesame Street.

Batibot made through a success thanks to it's great educational content and phrases even though it moved in four local networks. Even the characters and muppets of the show like Pong Pagong, Kiko Matsing, Manang Bola, Kuya Bodgie and Ate Sienna are known to many even today. Sadly around late 90's Batibot starting to decline because of the rise of foreign cable networks like Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon. The biggest factor about losing the show was losing Pong Pagong and Kiko Matsing on TV. Although, PCTVF staff created another Batibot-oriented educational show Batang Batibot and Koko Kwik Kwak (featuring Koko Kwik Kwak as a mascot), the original Batibot is the best show aired. They also made reruns of the original in the same year although they're forced to cease another network. In 2002, Batibot was canceled on TV.

Sadly, if you watch many episodes of Batibot and know the main characters you would really compare to teenagers today who watch anime like Naruto and Death Note, or playing computer games of today like DOTA and Grand Chase. It would be bit dissapointing and get a nostalgia of missing Batibot. Unlike in Sesame Street which still active on air, Batibot was canceled because of (maybe) lack of government support who maintains education and TV networks (MTRCB?).

In 2007, GMA Network's "Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho" once featured a 10-minute segment about Batibot including the known characters and reunion of Batibot hosts for the first time after 20 years. Fans and viewers of old Batibot would love that to see them!



If you and we really miss the old Batibot classics, there's few Batibot clips found in Youtube. Best of all, who could never forget the opening theme and it's lyrics?


Would it be fascinating to see a great educational show you watched returned in TV including the old Sesame Street episodes?