ALDUB, LOLA NIDORA, THE QUANDOS, AND WHY KALYESERYE HAS CAUGHT THE FANCY

OF THE FILIPINOS
Pearl M. Lleno

As of the writing, Alden is now given the go signal to visit Yaya Dub at Lola Nidora's mansion by the
latter herself. Like the previous episodes that brought the house down (the aborted "Yaya Dub-
Frankie wedding", the 'plywood' incident, the double 'kidnapping' of Alden and Yaya and recently,
their first 'formal date'), millions of Kalyeserye followers worldwide are now excitedly looking forward
to Alden doing the official "akyat ng ligaw" to his beloved Maine.
Those twelve million tweets had also sparked curiosity of foreigners who are clueless as to who or
what Aldub is all about. The figures also showed how the Kalyeserye followers responded to this
noontime show phenomenon. We are not just talking about the Philippines, man. We're talking about
America, Europe, and the rest of the continents where our OFW's are.
And probably you wonder (like me): why the heck is Aldub such a darling to the masses? Why has
Kalyeserye become the much-awaited noontime show episode and has captured the hearts of the
Filipino viewers?
These are just some of my presumptions and you might have to agree or disagree with me:
The Kalyeserye/Aldub tandem takes you to a roller-coaster ride of emotions. You laugh at the lolas'
hilarious antics, the Quandos' 'deadly' (pun intended) looks and Yaya Dub's facial distortions, you cry
when Alden and Yaya Dub can't seem to meet, and you get mad when Lola Nidora tries to keep
them apart. But in the end you laugh again when Gas Abelgas (played by Jose Manalo) delivers his
famous "TUKO" line.
Alden and Maine are reminiscent of the Guy-Pip, Maricel-William, Romnick-Sheryl tandems which
had become classic love teams in the history of showbiz. Moreover, their unexplained chemistry,
their contrasting characters (Alden's "seemingly quiet" demeanor and Yaya Dub's "comical" side)
and their spontaneity are wrapped in a total package that spelled "magic" and has enamoured their
fans which grew in numbers by the day.
Nidora, Tinidora and Tidora's (Wally, Jose and Paolo, respectively) hilarious dances, pun and quick
wit make you laugh your guts out. Not to mention their sidekicks: the Rogelios, the Bernardos and
the Quandos. The viewers don't even care that sometimes they are being slapstick but what the
heck, they are still funny.
Lola Nidora's words of wisdom and advice have struck a chord to the viewers' hearts:
“Ang pagibig ay pinaghihirapan, pinagsusumikapan.”
“Lahat may karapatan magmahal; lahat may dahilan.”
"Pwedeng gamitin ang puso pero wag kalimutan ang utak."
"Masarap umibig, masarap may inspirasyon. Huwag lang nagmamadali dahil lahat ng bagay nasa
TAMANG PANAHON."
Lastly, the pursuit of Yaya's heart by the chivalrous Alden is a reflection of the forgotten Filipino
value of courting a girl. In these modern times, one would wonder, "Uso pa ba ang ligawan?" Do
guys still exert effort to win the heart of his dream girl? In this digital age, all it takes is just one click
to seal the deal. Over pm's, twitter and chat, a guy can already claim the girl's YES. The Aldub
episodes prove otherwise. You have to be honest, show pure intentions, do what it takes to get the
girl, heed the elder's advice and wait for the right time (TAMANG PANAHON).
According to various reviews and reactions of people who religiously watch the Eat Bulaga segment,
the Kalyeserye has brought the families together during meals so they could catch up on the latest
episode and talk and laugh about it while partaking their food. Old and retired couples make it their
perfect bonding time. Traffic is reduced once the segment airs (not technically proven though). And
probably the most positive of all, the OFW's claim that the show has helped them relieve their stress,
ease their daily burdens and forget all about the hardships they go through even momentarily.
Will all of these positive vibes and the hype stop when Alden and Yaya Dub finally reach their happy
ending? Let's hope not. We could always live by Lola Nidora's words and stay in love forever like
Alden and Yaya Dub.
P.M.L.
09.24.2015