Pokwang grateful to have 2 shows on TV5

Sen. Grace Poe commemorated the 81st birth anniversary of her father, the late National Artist Fernando Poe Jr., with donations of 50 tablets to help needy students cope with the shift to online and blended learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Poe turned over the gadgets to the Don Quintin Paredes High School in Quezon City for distribution. The school’s principal, Ernest Ferrer Jr., received the donation from the senator who was accompanied by her son and chief of staff Brian Poe Llamanzares and Quezon City Vice Mayor Gian Sotto.

“We need to provide disadvantaged students the learning tools so they will not risk falling behind amid the rise of online education,” Poe said. “As the nation deals with the pandemic, it is crucial to ensure that this crisis encourages innovation and inclusion, and does not compound learning inequalities.”

Poe gave away local brand Cherry Mobile tablets, which came at a critical time as schools intensify preparations for the new modes of learning. Face-to-face classes have been ruled out this year, and the Department of Education has turned to alternative delivery modalities under distance learning this school year, the start of which has been moved to Oct. 5 for public schools.

The senator said linking with groups and individuals with common goals to help the disadvantaged was also FPJ’s advocacy. “FPJ’s lessons and values have been my guiding light – to serve selflessly and make a difference in the lives of Filipinos,” Poe said.

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Pokwang considers herself blessed to be given the opportunity by TV5 to host its new game show “Fill in the Blank” – airing Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m. – where she shares the spotlight with funnyman Jose Manalo.

While Pokwang remains grateful to ABS-CBN where she was a contract star for 15 years, she is very much appreciative of TV5’s initiative to offer her a show thru APT Entertainment and ArchAngel Productions. She said having a new program is a big help to her family.

TV5 executive Perci Intalan said game shows will always have a good impact on viewers. “We are offering something new na hindi naman mabigat ang dating at hindi seryoso pero nakakaaliw,” he said. “The game show genre is one area that we can develop as a form of entertainment. But of course, we also want something that is tailored to the times.”

Sir Perci added that they are open to working with other celebrities, even from the Kapamilya network, but TV5 is on the lookout for content providers who can present them shows of varied formats and see how these would fit the needs of TV5 and Cignal TV.

As for Pokwang, the comedienne said she is looking forward to working with stars from other networks. “We should open ourselves to working with other celebrities. Dapat magkaisa na tayo. Sa panahon ngayon, huwag na natin isipin pa ang network wars. Hindi pa ba tayo pagod sa network war? Sa nangyayari ngayon sa mundo, mas maganda kung tulung-tulong tayo,” she added.

Also launched recently on TV5 was “Bawal na Game Show” hosted by Paolo Ballesteros and Wally Bayola. It airs Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 pm and Saturdays at 7 pm.