''Student Canteen'' is a Philippine television variety show regarded as the first afternoon variety show on Philippine television. Over a 32-year period, it was broadcast through three different networks: ABS-CBN (1958 to 1965), GMA Network (1975 to 1986) and Radio Philippines Network (1989 to 1990).

History

DZXL

''Student Canteen'' was originally a radio show on DZXL hosted by Eddie Ilarde, Bobby Ledesma, Bobby de Veyra and Leila Benitez entitled ''CBN Canteen''. The noontime show was aired on the canteen of the old

Manila Chronicle The ''Manila Chronicle'' was a newspaper in the Philippines founded in 1945. Its founding newspapermen sold it to Eugenio López, Sr. It was closed down when martial law was imposed by Ferdinand Marcos Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos ...

Building in Aduana, Manila. It was later renamed ''Student Canteen'' after it became a hit with students.

Chronicle Broadcasting Network (1958–1965)

In July 1958, DZXL Channel 9, then owned by the

Chronicle Broadcasting Network ABS-CBN Corporation is a Filipino media company based in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines. It is the largest entertainment and media conglomerate in the Philippines. It is a subsidiary of Lopez Holdings Corporation which is owned by ...

(a precursor of ABS-CBN) started broadcast operations. ''Student Canteen'' was brought to television that same year. The noontime show ended in 1965 when Eddie Ilarde went into politics. Prior to that however, the set of hosts for the show were replaced after main hosts Bobby Ledesma and Leila Benitez walked out of the program along with Eddie following a dispute. Pete Roa, then production manager of ABS-CBN, handpicked his wife Boots Anson-Roa, Ben Aniceto, Pepe Pimentel and Nelda Navarro as replacements.

Noontime show successors

''Magandang Tanghali'', a musical variety show hosted by

Pancho Magalona Enrique Gayoso Magalona Jr. (January 22, 1922 – April 7, 1998), popularly known as Pancho Magalona, was a Filipino actor from the 1940s to the 1970s. Early life Born Enrique Gayoso Magalona Jr. in Bacolod, Negros Occidental, he was the son of ...

, and ''Stop Look and Listen'', a former noontime variety show hosted by Eddie Mesa, took over the ''Student Canteen'' timeslot in 1965. After Mesa left for the United States, ''Twelve O'Clock High'', a show hosted by Ariel Ureta and Tina Revilla, premiered and aired until 1972 when martial law was declared. The show moved to RBS (now GMA Network) as ''Ariel con Tina'', through a blocktimer company headed by Romy Jalosjos from 1972 to 1974. ''Lunch Break'' also gained ground on the same channel before ''Student Canteen'' was eventually revived.

GMA Network (1975–1986)

In 1975, the triumvirate of Menardo Jimenez, Felipe Gozon and Gilberto Duavit Sr. took over Republic Broadcasting System (RBS) and changed its name to GMA Radio-Television Arts. Looking for a show that can serve as a gateway to daytime dominance, the new management conducted negotiations with Eddie Ilarde who readily agreed to revive ''Student Canteen'' under his production company Program Philippines Inc. In January 1975, ''Student Canteen'' was revived, with Helen Vela and Coney Reyes joining original hosts Pepe Pimentel, Bobby Ledesma and Eddie Ilarde. Ramon Ramano was the original director of the show. Ariston "Aris" Bautista was the floor director, and later the show's director. The show had a segment called "Search for the Student Canteener" which was a singing contest. This segment attracted a lot of high quality contestants and many of former "Canteeners", including

Marco Sison Raul Marco Sison (born July10, 1957) is a Filipino singer, actor, and politician. Singing career Sison started his singing career after his triumph on a singing contest on GMA Network's noontime variety show ''Student Canteen'' in the late 1970s ...

, became successful professional singers. Many other singing contest segments within the show produced some of the country's top singers. Bert Nievera, for example, was the champion of the segment called, "Search for Johnny Mathis of the Philippines." The program also featured a highly popular segment called "IQ 7" which was actually a quiz contest and which produced the country's top quiz champions like Bong Barrameda, Ramon Lorenzo, Romeo Miat, Victor Saymo, Vic Volfango, Antonio Manaloto, Esmeraldo Tellerva, Gil Manimbo, Eduardo Alvaran, Virgilio Acasio, Nazzir Abbas, Roberto Villareal, Emilio Apostol, Nehemias Miguel, Nilo Francisco, Sonny Pascual, Leoncio Pelayo, David Oriel, Leon Bongulto, Pete Dadula, Boni Magtibay, and many others who have gone on to excel in their respective chosen fields of endeavor. A spin-off of the quiz segment "IQ 7" called "Battle of Campus Brains" produced the first and only female quiz champion in the history of GMA-7 quiz shows, Essem Zisenia Solomon, who defeated the then reigning champion Pete Dadula and several other quiz veterans. ''Student Canteen'' was the only noontime show that existed in the 1970s before the debut of '' Eat Bulaga!'' on July 30, 1979, hosted by the trio of Tito, Vic & Joey, formerly from ''Student Canteen''. ''Eat Bulaga!'' was in danger of cancellation until the segment "Mr. Macho" made it the top-rating noontime show in 1980. Afterwards, ''Student Canteens ratings began to decline. Coney Reyes would leave the show after it took in Chiqui Hollman, formerly from ''Eat Bulaga!''. Other fresh faces would later join ''Student Canteen'', including

Jackie Lou Blanco Jacqueline Lourdes Blanco-Davao (born February 11, 1964) is a Filipina actress and aerobic instructor. During the 1980s and the 1990s, she appeared in different film genres including ''Hihintayin Kita sa Langit'', (1991), ''Si Aida, Si Lorna, o ...

Chat Silayan Maria Rosario Rivera Silayan-Bailon (July 8, 1959 – April 23, 2006), also known as Chat Silayan, was a Filipino beauty queen and actress. She won the Binibining Pilipinas Universe 1980 crown and became the third runner-up at Miss Universe 1980 ...

, Dyords Javier and Francis Magalona.

Julie Vega Julie Pearl Apostol Postigo (21 May 1968 – 6 May 1985), better known by her stage name Julie Vega (), was a Filipina child actress, singer and commercial model. She remains very popular in her native Philippines, years after her death at the p ...

was supposed to be included in the show however, the plan was shelved following her illness and subsequent death in 1985. The show's stint on GMA ended on June 7, 1986 following the People Power Revolution. It was later replaced by '' Lunch Date''.

Radio Philippines Network (1989–1990)

''Student Canteen'' went back on air on February 20, 1989 with a new home, RPN (renamed as New Vision 9) replacing "Eat Bulaga!" which moved to ABS-CBN. The show was also retitled ''Student Canteen (The Third Generation)'' because it was the show's third revival and third decade on Philippine Television. Original hosts Eddie Ilarde and Bobby Ledesma were joined by

Malu Maglutac Maria "Malu" Lourdes Maglutac Chiongbian (born October 10, 1960) is a former Filipino TV show host, ballet dancer, model, actress, newscaster, and beauty pageant title holder. She co-hosted the hit variety show ''Student Canteen'' from 1984-1990. ...

, Jean Garcia, Cherry Pie Picache and Atoy Co as co-hosts. Ramon Lorenzo served as the Quiz Master for the "IQ 7" segment. It was also during the RPN-9 era when the show was beamed for the first time nationwide via satellite, as the network's DOMSAT facilities were still active despite the sequestration. The show ended in 1990 due to disagreements between the RPN management and the hosts. A revival was in the works again the following year, but it was shelved after main host Bobby Ledesma died in 1993.

Cast

* Eddie Ilarde * Pepe Pimentel * Bobby Ledesma * The Tiongco Brothers * Sharon L. * Helen Vela * Leila Benitez * Coney Reyes * Carmi Martin * Tito Sotto * Vic Sotto * Joey de Leon *

* Atoy Co * Chiqui Hollman-Yulo *

* Dyords Javier *

APO Hiking Society The Apolinario Mabini Hiking Society, later popularly known as APO Hiking Society, or simply APO, was a Filipino musical group and one of the pillars of Original Pilipino Music (Original Pilipino Music, OPM) composed of Danny Javier†, Jim Pa ...

* Jean Garcia * Francis Magalona * Rachel Anne Wolfe *

* JC Bonnin *

* Benedict Aquino * Jam Morales * Charles Harner * Lou Veloso * Cherry Pie Picache

References

External links

* {{IMDb title, 439964 1958 Philippine television series debuts 1990 Philippine television series endings 1950s Philippine television series 1960s Philippine television series 1970s Philippine television series 1980s Philippine television series 1990s Philippine television series ABS-CBN original programming Filipino-language television shows GMA Network original programming Philippine variety television shows Radio Philippines Network original programming