Titser: Primetime TV for social change

Education is a lifelong journey that begins with a dream and culminates in a commitment to inspire change. And this encompasses the content of local television’s newest original series, Titser, which airs Sunday evenings on GMA News TV Channel 11. Hoping to be a vehicle of change on primetime TV, Titser is an inspiring tale of the human spirit’s tenacity in the face of challenges.  

Led by award-winning actress Lovi Poe, Titser follows the story of Michelle, a high school valedictorian from a poor barrio school whose dreams of becoming a teacher are impeded by poverty. With no means to enter college, Michelle’s only option after graduation is to work as a housemaid. Titser’s heartwarming depiction of Michelle’s story shows an impoverished schoolgirl’s struggle to reach for her dreams in the face of adversity.

“This is the most difficult role I have ever portrayed,” says Lovi. For her role as the resilient and ambitious Michelle, Lovi has had to experience first-hand the difficulties of teaching.

“Kailangan kasing bigyang hustisya dahil para sa mga teacher ito, pero ang hirap pala magturo!” she shares, adding that some of her scenes required her to simplify academic lessons to be better understood by children. She also mentions that she personally reviews the lessons prior to filming, because she is not satisfied with simply memorizing her lines; she wants to be able to improvise.

“This is dedicated to all teachers. I loved all my teachers and I’ve always appreciated them,” she gratefully shares. “But now, I can better empathize with them because of what I’m doing here. Mahirap pala.”

The Kapuso actress also says that filming in a far-flung rural area also proved to be quite a challenge as she had to face the rough countryside, climbing hills and crossing rivers to complete her scenes.

Filmed in the mold of documentaries or indie films, Titser veers away from mainstream productions. The stellar cast was not provided with air-conditioned tents, portable toilets or special food — grounding the actors in the reality of their characters.

Joining Lovi in the 10-part series is Mara Lopez (daughter of beauty queen-turned-actress Maria Isabel Lopez), who plays the class salutatorian and Michelle’s best friend Rosa. In an unfortunate turn of events, Rosa’s fate leads her to becoming a single mother.

“My character is filmed from 15 years old to around 23 years old,” says Mara. “During the first part of the series, I have to act like a high school student but as the story progresses, my character matures as well,” she shares, referring to the emotionally-laden scenes that go with portraying her character. “Maraming mabibigat na eksena dahil sa mga pagdadaanan ni Rosa.”

Providing inspiration to the two girls as they struggle against life’s hardships is their mentor, Teacher Sandra (Agot Isidro), a principled barrio teacher who boldly stands up against the leadership of a corrupt principal (Irma Adlawan). Also included in the cast are Gardo Versoza, Arnel Ignacio, Rocco Nacino, Carl Guevarra and Mikael Daez.

Mara says that working on set is always a fun and fulfilling experience for everyone. “It’s nice that we all clicked and got along right away,” she says of her first time to work with the cast. “But I spend more time with Lovi because we play best friends in the series and she’s just so much fun to work with! We laugh a lot during tapings.”

Behind the fun and laughter on set is a strong message: There are grave ills in the Philippine education system. Through the everyday stories of barrio teachers and students, Titser hopes to be a cinematic commentary on the country’s problematic education system.

Titser tackles handicaps in Philippine education, including lack of books, chairs and classrooms; corruption in the procurement process; high dropout rate; and the fact that the majority of Filipinos are unable to make it beyond a high school level of education.

Titser is GMA News TV’s second original series following the critical hit Bayan Ko, a socio-political series on corruption and political dynasties. Titser is conceptualized by Bayan Ko creator Nessa Valdellon. She is writing the series along with Titser director  Dr. Alvin Yapan, head of Ateneo de Manila University’s Filipino Department.

Titser’s storyline was inspired by Sandra Aguinaldo’s I-Witness documentary titled Iskul Ko No. 1 about an award-winning elementary school teacher who sent herself to college by working as a house helper.

“I realized that teachers are one of the least-appreciated employees in our country,” reflects Mara. “They don’t get the pay they deserve. Also, the quality of public schools here is really low. Most students in the provinces are not getting quality education because they don’t have money. That’s something the government should focus on because everyone deserves good education.”

Lovi is happy to be able to touch people’s lives in Titser. She says that working on the series has made her realize that teaching entails more than advanced mental faculties. More importantly, it requires dedication, passion and the commitment to inspire. She says, “Mas na-appreciate ko talaga sila more because you cannot be a teacher without having the heart to teach. It takes a lot of patience to be a teacher.”