It may have been almost three years already since the well-loved kiddie comedy sketch program Goin’ Bulilit aired its last episode in August 2019, but some of the brilliant talents it produced throughout its 14 years on-air continue to thrive in showbiz, with several being among the biggest stars in the country at present.
Let’s catch up with the former bulilits who are still active and flourishing in the local entertainment in this episode of Kapamilya Snaps!
Without a doubt, Kathryn Bernardo is one of the most successful graduates of the show. She skyrocketed to fame after landing lead roles in Mara Clara (2010), Growing Up (2011), and Princess and I (2012), then went on to earn praises for her performances in Got To Believe (2013), Pangako Sa ‘Yo (2015), and La Luna Sangre (2017). At present, the Queen of Hearts has KathNiel fans excited for their teleserye comeback 2 Good 2 Be True.
The same goes for Julia Montes who gained popularity as Goin’ Bulilit child star and as a teen actress in Mara Clara (2010) and Growing Up (2011). She went on to astound us in her portrayal of mature roles in Walang Hanggan (2012), Ikaw Lamang (2014), and Doble Kara (2015). Today, she is the newest leading lady of Coco Martin in the long-running primetime drama FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano.
Promising leading lady Belle Mariano also started off in showbiz as a bulilit. From there, she slowly built her career by taking on roles in teleseryes like Lorenzo’s Time (2012), La Luna Sangre (2017), and Bagani (2018). She finally scored her big break in the major hit teen series He’s Into Her (2021), which is now on its second season.
Jane Oineza may have rose to stardom as a bulilit, but it was her award-winning performance in the “Manika” episode of Maalaala Mo Kaya in 2012 that established her mark in the local entertainment scene. She was able to display her authentic self when she became a housemate in Pinoy Big Brother All In in 2014, and then her prowess as a kontrabida in the afternoon drama Precious Hearts Romances Presents Araw Gabi that really got her fans shookt. She currently got us hooked with her portrayal of Diane Riagon in The Broken Marriage Vow.
From simply appearing in commercials, Alexa Ilacad eventually became a household name when she became part of the iconic kiddie program. She’s able to further showcase her acting prowess in the teen series Luv U (2013) and Bagito (2014), as well as in The Good Son (2017), The Killer Bride (2019), and Init Sa Magdamag (2021). She recently joined Pinoy Big Brother Kumunity Season 10 as a celebrity housemate, wherein she found her new loveteam partner KD Estrada.
She may have fallen short in her bid to become the grand kid questor of Star Circle Kid Quest Season 1, Sharlene San Pedro was able to win the hearts of Kapamilya viewers as one of the adorable stars of Goin’ Bulilit and Mga Anghel na Walang Langit (2005). She also went on to appear in Luv U (2013) and became a MYX VJ, which seemed to spark her interest in music. Her latest project is her newly released song “Running”.
Avid viewers of the now-defunct comedy show would probably remember EJ Jallorina as the young impersonator of The King of Talk Boy Abunda and as one of the teen stars of Growing Up (2011). She took a hiatus from showbiz and recently made her teleserye comeback through the primetime drama Marry Me Marry You (2021).
JB Agustin’s stint in Goin’ Bulilit paved the way for him to land other projects, such as Little Champ (2013), which was his first-ever teleserye lead role, and FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano (2015). Now, he is showing growth and maturity as an actor through his role as Max in the teleserye The Broken Marriage Vow.
Unlike everyone in this list, Mutya Orquia initially gained popularity as the young mermaid Mutya in 2011 before becoming a bulilit. She was then admired as Abby in Be Careful with My Heart in 2012. She currently appeared in the family series Pamilya Ko (2019), through which she teased viewers with her growth as an actress.
Not a lot of Kapamilya fans would probably remember that before he caught our hearts as the wide-eyed Santino in the classic 2009 series May Bukas Pa, Zaijian Jaranilla actually used to be bulilit. He then went on to star in a few more series, such as Noah (2010) and Lorenzo’s Time (2012), before slowly stepping away from his child star image through his recent TV and movie roles. He’s currently part of The Broken Marriage Vow and is expected to appear in the upcoming TV adaptation of the superheroine series Darna.
Another alumna that not a lot of people could probably remember is Andrea Brillantes as she only had a brief stint in the comedy program before headlining the 2013 remake of the 80s series Annaliza. She went on to land parts in different dramas through which she’s able to further showcase her acting prowess, like Pangako Sa ‘Yo (2015), Kadenang Ginto (2018), and Huwag Kang Mangamba (2021).
More popularly known by her screen name “Hopia”, Trina Legaspi was among the most remarkable cast members of Goin’ Bulilit. She went on to appear in several shows afterwards, such as Ipaglaban Mo and the 2020 iWantTFC original series “Bawal Lumabas”. While Trina works hard on her acting career, she has already achieved a major milestone in her love life at the same time as she finally got married to her non-showbiz husband in November 2021.
Bugoy Cariño showed a lot of potential as child star through his stints in Goin’ Bulilit and in the 2012 series E-Boy, wherein he impressed us with his portrayal of the titular character. He then became a "kilig ambassador" as one of the former members of the second batch of the It’s Showtime boy group Hashtags. The former child wonder is now a first-time dad to her and volleyball player-partner EJ Laure’s daughter Scarlet.
Who among these bulilits was or remain as your favorie?