Can Santino save the world?

A prisoner is desperate because his son is dying of cancer but he has no money to send him to the hospital. What should he do?

Call Santino!

A magician has a pressing problem that’s driving him crazy. What should he do?

Call Santino!

A girl is in a quandary, ready to extend her Alzheimer-stricken mother’s life by giving whatever is left of her own. What should she do?

Call Santino!

A dedicated teacher is forced to retire and is at a loss what she will do with the rest of her days. What should she do?

Call Santino!

A son is prevented by his rich father from entering the priesthood. What should he do?

Call Santino!

In the hit two-month-old ABS-CBN drama series May Bukas Pa, brainchild of the network’s lady boss Charo Santos-Concio, the boy Santino has a solution to everybody’s problem, thanks to his “hot line” to Jesus whom he calls Bro. The role, played by seven-year-old Zaijan Jaranilla (born on Aug. 23, 2001), is reminiscent of the ’60s’ movie Marcelino Pan y Vino in which child actor Danilo Jurado befriends Jesus Christ who comes down from the Cross everytime the child offers Him bread and wine.

Because May Bukas Pa hit bull’s-eye a soft spot in the hearts of televiewers, Santino has become the symbol of hope, the light in a grim landscape plagued by news of graft and corruption and incompetent government officials and crimes of all kinds, an accidental Pied Piper leading us not to damnation but to salvation, and the harbinger of the silver lining behind dark clouds.

Even the priests can’t seem to drive home their point during their sermon without invoking the name Santino, a name that roughly means “saintly” (given to the children of actors like Claudine Barretto and Raymart Santiago, Martin Nievera and his beloved Katrina Ojeda). Could you imagine what a blank wall everybody would be facing hadn’t Santino come around?

Inviting big stars as guests is part of the soap’s trajectory and it helps the show’s rating a lot. So far, among those who have guested were John Estrada (the prisoner), Gabby Concepcion (the magician), Claudine Barretto and Boots Anson-Roa (the girl and the Alzheimer-stricken mother), Susan Roces (the teacher), and Victor Basa and Dante Rivero (the would-be priest and the rich father).

Now, can Santino save the world?

How we wish!

In the meantime, sitting in his very first interview, Zaijan/Santino seems helpless in solving the monumental problem he’s facing — how to finish a tall glass of ice-cream served him after an unfinished meal. Help, Bro!

No, Conversations doesn’t burden Zaijan/Santino with such pressing problems as global warming, global recession and global conflict. I don’t even ask him to solve the never-ending network war. We’re just having a little fun as he warms up for his planned first big presscon scheduled for tomorrow.

Zaijan/Santino is accompanied to the interview by his father, Zenon Jaranilla (from Marinduque, separated from his wife, Glendel Amo, from Lucena City, Quezon). Before May Bukas Pa, Zaijan/Santino appeared in three commercials (one of them for McDonald’s) before he was discovered as John Prats’ co-star in the ABS-CBN fantaserye Tiny Tony where his acting ability was first noticed.

Do you know Jesus?

“Yes po. Si Bro.”

What do you tell Bro?

“I love you, Bro!”

Do you pray?

“Yes po. Kapag natatakot ako, hinahawakan ko ‘yung Rosary ko.”

Anong pinagdadasal mo?

“Si Mama, si Papa at mga kapatid ko. Na sana maging happy sila.”

Ilan kayong magkakapatid?

“Tatlo po. I am the eldest. Sumunod sa akin si Ziljian (six-years old) at si Zynic (five).”

Where do you study?

“At General Roxas Elementary School (Roxas District, Quezon City). Grade 1 po. No. 9 po ako sa class; 40 po kami lahat.”

Do you know that you are very popular?

“Opo.”

How do you know?

“Sinabi lang po sa akin.”

In school, kilalang-kilala ka siguro ng lahat.

“Yes po. I go to school on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Sa ibang mga araw, tutorial na lang po...sa bahay. ‘Yung titser ko rin po sa school ang tutor ko.”

What’s your favorite subject in school?

“English po.”

Can you still go out of the house na hindi ka pinagkakaguluhan?

“Minsan na lang po. Noon, I can play patintero outside our house. Now, I play with my PSP at home. Dati, pumapasyal kami sa mall. Ngayon, bihira na. Sometimes, pumupunta kami sa Time Zone (at Gateway, Cubao, Quezon City).”

What’s your favorite PSP game?

“Tekken.”

When you go out, anong sinasabi sa’yo ng mga tao?

“Karamihan po sa kanila nagpapagamot sa akin.”

Ano’ng ginagawa mo?

“Napapa-aray ako.”

How are you like Santino?

“Mabait din ako. I want Santino to be my friend.”

Do you really want to be an actor?

“Yes po.”

Ang husay mo nga umarte, eh.

“Gina-guide po ako ni direk Jom (Pobocan), tinuturuan niya po ako kung anong dapat kong gawin.”

Ang hahaba ng dialogue mo. Hindi ka ba nahihirapan?

“Hindi naman po. Mahusay po ako mag-memorya.”

Who are your favorite among your May Bukas Pa co-stars?

“Sina Tito Dominic (Ochoa) at Tito Lito (Pimentel) po. Sila po ‘yung mga pari d’un.”

Who is your favorite actor?

“Si Rayver (Cruz, also in the cast of May Bukas Pa). Mabait po siya, eh.”

Who is your favorite cartoon character?

“Tom & Jerry po.”

Favorite superhero?

“Si Hulk po.”

What do you want to be when you grow up?

“Doctor po. ‘Yung nag-o-opera po.”

What’s your favorite food?

“Ginisang ampalaya at sitaw po. At sinigang na luto ni Papa.”

Anong feeling mo kapag pinapanood mo ang May Bukas Pa?

“Wala lang po. Nakatulala.”

What are your favorite episodes?

“‘Yung first five po. ‘Yung pinakitang tumatakbo ako ng nakahubad. Hinahabol ako ni Fr. Jose (Dominic) kasi ayokong maligo, Hehehehe.”

Who keeps your money?

“Mommy ko po.” (Note: Mommy is his paternal grandmother who works as secretary of the Philippine OB-Gyne Society.)

If you ask something from Bro, ano kaya ‘yon?

“Wala lang po.”

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