Film & TV

AlDub continues: Traditional courtship & other Pinoy values in the time of Twitter

By KATHY MORAN

By 12:01 a.m. of Oct 4, the total number of tweets for #ALDUBmeetsTVJ had reached 11.726 million, the third highest tweet record for the Aldub Nation. That’s just a little below the 12.1 million tweets last Sept. 19. For now, the 25.6 million-tweet record last Sept. 25 may be hard to break.

Leave it to the Aldub Nation (what the followers of the Kalye Serye call themselves) to make it a daily habit of reaching about two million tweets on weekdays, and then turning on their “beast mode” to tweet their hearts and fingers out on Saturdays to record- breaking tweet counts.

It is not only in social media that Eat Bulaga, through its Kalye Serye, has been able to make a difference — the show is also top rating in the noontime slot shows. For the episode of Oct. 3, the Kalye Serye episode got a rating of 42.7 percent of TV viewership over its closest competitor, which got 9.9 percent. For now, Eat Bulaga is ruling the ratings game, too, when it comes to noontime shows.

Netizens and TV viewers are united in giving the Kalye Serye their nod — and how. That’s a clear sign that the formula that Eat Bulaga is using for its Kalye Serye is deeply touching its viewers’ hearts.

FROM TWITTERSE TO BROADWAY STUDIO

Last Thursday, Oct. 1, the 11th weeksary of Alden Richards and YayaDub (Maine Mendoza), Lola Nidora (Wally Bayola) asked Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto and Joey De Leon (TVJ) if they could visit the Broadway studio so that YayaDub would be able to meet the dabarkads of Alden.

Request granted.  She made one more request — that TVJ serenade the lolas (Nidora) and Tinidora (Jose Manalo) when they visit the studio. Second wish granted.

On Oct. 3, the Broadway was decked fiesta style complete with marching band. The fans, whether Netizens or not, filled the studio to the rafters. Other fans, who were at Broadway but could not make it into the rather small studio, were content to watch the episode on TV monitors outside the studio.

Twitter remained active — before the show Twitter count was a little over five million — by the end of the episode — the Tweet count had reached 10 million.

LESSONS, LESSONS

For anyone who has watched the Kalye Serye since it started about three months ago — there are two focal points — of course, the developing love story between Alden and YayaDub (whether just for reel or real, only they know) and the many teachings of Lola Nidora about keeping the Pinoy traditional values alive.

What values did Lola Nidora want us to learn last Oct. 3?

Here are three:

  1. “Wala pang Dubsmash (YayaDub and Alden’s split screen romance revolves around dubsmashed songs) nung panahon namin, ganyan ang panunuyo, harana,” says Lola Nidora to YayaDub after the serenade of TVJ. “Kinakantahan, pinagsisilbihan, pinupuntahan sa bahay — hindi yung sa kalye nagliligawan.”
  2. “Ngayon tinginan lang, MU na agad,” she adds. “Di pa lubos nagkakakilala in a relationship na.”
  3. “Grabe na ngayon. Ang lovelife ngayon daig ang balita  — live via satellite.”

At the end of her soliloquy, she admonishes YayaDub: “Tandaan mo Yaya: Maganda sa pakiramdam ang harana.”

As I sat and listened — I understood where Lola Nidora was coming from — but, at the same time, I also see the importance of news in virtual reality — it keeps us in touch with the world. It is also where the Aldub Nation is most present — in Twitterverse.

And just like fandoms of the past (even perhaps during the time of Lola Nidora) the fans in Broadway were loud with their appreciation of the slightest show of affection between Alden and YayaDub.

Pandemonium erupted when Alden beat Lola Nidora in “bato bato pick,” her final challenge for Alden so that finally he could shake hands with YayaDub.

MOVING ON

What catches my attention is the desire of the Kalye Serye and Eat Bulaga to create a conversation on traditional Pinoy values with its very young Aldub Nation on Twitterverse (many based here and others living abroad) — a conversation that does go on after each episode.

While we are enamored by the love story between Alden and YayaDub, Lola Nidora continues to insist that we pay heed to the values that should remain at the core of every Filipino.

At the same time, the writers of the Kalye Serye continue to keep their audience guessing as to what will happen next.

#ALDUBTogetherAgain was announced on midnight of Oct. 7. Many thought that it would be another kilig show between Alden and YayaDub.

But, the suspense went on, and Alden, who was busy with other commitments, was absent from the show on that day.

The episode on Oct. 7 ends with a heart- broken Lola Nidora shedding tears because perhaps the time has come for what she refers to as “tamang panahon.” Perhaps, the time for YayaDub to leave her may have arrived.

As anyone who has been following the Kalye Serye knows, Lola Nidora raised YayaDub; the identity of her real mother kept from her.

The show seems to be moving in another direction, for now — not just focusing on the love story between Alden and YayaDub.

The sadness that Lola Nidora felt did not go unnoticed by the Aldub Nation as the tweets for the Oct. 7 episode reached 2,188,784 — a clear sign that the Aldub Nation on Twitterverse was touched by the episode.

After all, a love story, no matter how many ways we choose to express it, is a love story — but tried and tested Pinoy values are unique to our culture. Love develops over time with a long courtship, men must respect women (the “no touch” policy), love for our parents and family and taking to heart the words of wisdom from our elders — these are uniquely Pinoy.

The many funny antics and jokes of Lolas Nidora, Tinidora and Tidora (Paolo Ballesteros) make the viewers laugh out loud. At the same time, the serious discussions and words of wisdom of Lola Nidora on values of love for family and respect for elders bring them to tears.

Eto na siguro and tamang panahon para sa ‘yo, Yaya. Matagal-tagal na panahon na nakasama ka namin — mahal ka namin ng mga lola mo,” says a tearful Lola Nidora. “Yaya, eto na ang tamang panahon para sa iyo at para kay Isadora (YayaDub’s mother).”

Freeze. Episode ends.

A GOOD LIFE

What the Kalye Serye has achieved has gotten noticed beyond the Aldub Nation. The stars of the show are among the recipients of the 1st Catholic Social Media Award (CSMA) to be given during the 4th Catholic Social Media Summit in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, today.

Alden Richards, YayaDub (Mendoza), Lola Nidora (Bayola) and the show’s producer, TAPE Productions will get the award for promoting Catholic values on courtship, love for family and respect for elders, among others.

CSMA is an independent body established by Youth Pinoy and the Areopagus Communications, Inc. Its goal is to encourage producers, directors, writers and actors to produce more programs and content that are not only entertaining but are also “steeped in Christian values.

@cbcpnews, the Twitter account of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) tweeted last Sept. 26, “Supporting the noble cause of spreading virtue, values and morality that our nation deserves. #ALDubEBforLOVE.”

I only hope that these values never die — nor remain mere sources of entertainment around the AlDub “love” story, but are applied to youngsters’ real, everyday lives — and loves.

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