Hail, hail, the Click gang’s here!

Saturday afternoons in my aunt Ofel’s house are no ordinary afternoons. They are when my mom’s sisters and their kids converge in front of my aunt’s flat TV just to watch the Click barkada’s latest escapades in the latter’s widely followed youth-oriented program.

My cousins excitedly exchange opinions about the show, pointing out their favorites and crushes. They even react when the plot goes this way or that. Why, they even go berserk and fight over points they don’t agree on! That’s how engrossed they are with the Click barkada. They wouldn’t miss the show for anything in the world.

So when I was assigned to interview not just one, not even two, but nine of the Click gang members, I thought, "Lucky me!"

When Click’s Karen de los Reyes, Chynna Ortaleza, Tricia Roman, Dyan Delfin, Railey Valeroso, AJ Eigenmann, Bryan Revilla, Richard Gutierrez and Sherwin Ordoñez "ganged up" on me for an animated lunch at the cozy Taste of L.A. resto in Quezon City, I kept thinking how my aunts and cousins would envy me when they learn it. Come to think of it – many a youth would gladly have traded places with me!

Meeting the hyper Click clique left me almost gasping for air, as it required more than the usual energy to keep up with the barkada’s banter and laughter. You could call the experience pandemonium times nine.

Make that a fun-filled kind of pandemonium, though.

For the past three years, Click has been featuring stories on love, friendship and family. Like its predecessors Growing Up and T.G.I.S., Click has earned success by following an easy-for-the-youth-to-relate-to-formula. As the show’s tagline goes, says 22-year-old Sherwin Ordoñez who plans to take up Culinary Arts in college, "Kuwento ’nyo, kuwento namin (Your story is our story)."

"Click’s stories reflect what an ordinary teenagers will most likely do and situations teenagers find themselves in," says bubbly 20-year-old Tricia Roman.

"The stories are written as they happen in real life," chimes in 19-year-old Dyan Delfin, the singer in the group with the potential to become a model. "Things like ligaw-ligawan, the kilig stage, the awayan that bagets face in their young lives."

"If there’s a reason why Click clicks (with young viewers), it is the show’s message that everybody should learn to compromise, to patch things up and still be friends," notes Sherwin, a former PATTS student.

Sherwin and Tricia are part of the original Click barkada. Tricia says most of the new faces on the show "are children of actors and actresses."

Leading the pack are Richard Gutierrez, the son of veteran actor Eddie Gutierrez and Annabelle Rama; Danica Sotto, daughter of Vic Sotto and Dina Bonnevie; Bryan Revilla, son of Bong Revilla and Lani Mercado; AJ Eigenmann, son of Michael de Mesa and Gina Alajar.

"Unlike the original cast," says Sherwin, "everybody was new then in the business (except for Maybelline de la Cruz who had been part of a long-running TV sitcom). Lahat, walang masyadong may kakilala."

Asked if they had a hard time adjusting to the new kids on the block, Tricia quickly replies, "No. I got along with them easily. Lahat sila mababait."

Besides the faces that drew many a fan after the first episodes, what keeps Click’s young viewers glued to the show is its new set of characters, who have added spice to the complicated story of Click.

"It is the same story," elaborates Tricia, who plays the "girly-girl," "cutesy-patootsey" cum Makeover Queen Issa. "But the characters are more interesting and engaging this time."

"I play Weng," says every lolo’s favorite apo Karen de los Reyes. "She is a social climber. She pretends to be rich, pero mahirap lang talaga siya. Her biggest dream is to have a rich boyfriend then eventually marry him. That’s why she’s head over heels in love with JB (played by Sherwin Ordoñez)."

"I’m the kuya ng barkada," Sherwin says of the mature and serious JB. "In real life, ganun talaga ako. I’m the second to the eldest. That’s why I’m the one who gives advice to my younger siblings. So I didn’t have a hard time adjusting to my role."

AJ Eigenmann plays the AmBoy Josh, whom AJ describes as "Puro porma lang with girls." In real life, AJ busies himself with playstation or boxing.

AJ’s female version is Tricia’s Issa. "Mahilig mag-pa- cute si Issa sa mga boys," says Tricia. She easily falls for them. I’m (probably) not her type."

If there’s one person who can melt Josh’s tough heart, it has to be Dyan Delfin’s character, Belle. "She is extra shy," says Dyan. "She feels insecure with so many things like her looks and intelligence. It’s her mom’s fault. She puts Belle down all the time so Belle suffers from low self-esteem." Despite these, Belle remains the object of Josh’s affection.

Providing Belle a shoulder to cry on is Mimi, played by Chynna Ortaleza. "People will always view her as ordinary and mababaw because she likes kikay things," says Chynna. "She wears trendy clothes. She also likes girly stuff. But she is really good in giving advice and in listening to her girl friends’ problems. If there’s one characteristic of Mimi that’s me pareho kaming magaling mag-ayos ng mga nag-aaway-away."

What about the rest of the Click barkada?

Bryan Revilla plays Emil, a poor boy with a "langit at lupa" love life. "He is a working student. My character has high hopes to improve his status in life. He is very determined."

The newest Bench endorser, Richard Gutierrez plays Enzo, who comes from an affluent family. Enzo is a protective brother. "I’m the boy-next-door," says Richard. "Nag-papa- cute din especially to Mimi. She is my love interest here. Matagal ko na siyang nililigawan."

Railey Valeroso is a Jomari Yllana lookalike who plays Icko. "The guy is self-sufficient and independent," he says. "At a very young age, he works in a gasoline station to support his family. He is the type na anak na nagpapalaki ng magulang."

The nice thing about appearing on Click, too, say the young stars, is the camaraderie on the set.

"Sobrang saya sa set," Karen gushes. "Sobrang kulit namin. We clown around. Although our call time is 7 a.m. every Saturday–we might even wrap up shooting the following day–we’re still happy."

"We are really friends," reveals Chynna. "I’m comfortable telling my problems to them. They are always ready to offer advice. We call each other often. We are very much at ease with one another."

"Parang mga lalake din ang mga yan," adds Richard.

"Saturday is our bonding time. That’s the time when we get enough of each other," says Tricia.

What keeps the gang happy together apart from taping, Sherwin says, "Whenever we have out-of-town trips or trips abroad. Like when we went to Hong Kong, the guys gimmicked in Hong Kong’s version of Malate. We strolled and barhopped. The girls went shopping."

"While there," adds Chynna. "Tricia and I encountered drug dealers. We were scared to death. I told Tricia, ‘Anong gagawin natin, mare?’ They might go after us!"

What about Karen, who was sick during the four-day Hong Kong visit? What did she miss in Manila? Maybe her favorite McDonalds burger?

"As if there’s no McDonalds in Hong Kong!" jokes Sherwin.

On a more serious note he adds, "Besides the happenings, the tapings, the tours we’ve had, our happiest moment was when Click won this year’s STAR Awards’ Best Youth-Oriented show. I felt all our hardwork and efforts paid off."

"Crush ng Bayan?" muses Karen. "It will be a stiff bout between Richard and Railey. There’s a survey (done by a) a teen mag that says Richard is more popular and Railey comes second. Among the girls, it’s between Chynna and Angel who plays Charley."

"Danica (Sotto, who plays Taray Queen Kara) is a fashionista," says Chynna. "Whatever is in, she always has it, be it a dress or hairstyle."

But according to Sherwin, "It’s Marco (the show’s production assistant) who is the fashionista among us."

The most serious, Tricia believes, is "Besides Sherwin, the group’s kuya Railey. If you don’t talk to him, he never will."

"The naughtiest," says Sherwin "are Bryan and Richard."

"Generally, the Click girls are caring and thoughtful," says Richard. "If they have food, they share it with us."

"They are all kind and supportive," adds AJ.

"As for the boys," observes Karen, "they care for us. They really mean it."

Given the success the group is enjoying, the Click barkada still wishes to take another leap in their young career, besides doing a movie and a concert in the future.

"I think everybody wishes to be somebody in the future," says Chynna. "Like me – I want to follow in the footsteps of Celia Rodriguez and Cherie Gil. I want to be a kontrabida. Aapihin ko silang lahat."

For the past months, they’ve been together as a group, what are the lessons they’ve learned that have strengthened their friendship.

"You don’t have to pretend or to play someone else just to be accepted by the group," says Karen. "Be who you really are."

"Learn to accept the fact that all people are different," adds Chynna.

"Don’t let success get into your head. Be humble," Sherwin believes. "For a group to thrive, everybody should cooperate. Don’t compete; help each other instead."