It was on February 13, 2023 when FPJ’s Batang Quiapo premiered, promising to fill the weeknights of avid Kapamilya viewers with thrill, action, drama, kilig, and even humor. It also served as the return of Coco Martin in primetime television, just months after his previous long-running project wrapped up, along with some of his co-actors in his previous television project FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano.

But it’s not only them who made a comeback, as a bunch of the ensemble cast, who, after years of not being in the limelight, also re-emerged and once again astonished us with their presence through their unexpected appearances on the show. As FPJ’s Batang Quiapo marks its milestone first anniversary this February, let’s find out who those celebrities are in this special feature!

Mona Alawi as young Bubbles

Let’s begin with the surprise appearance of former child actress Mona Alawi as she played the teen version of her older sister Ivana Alawi, who’s been portraying Bubbles. Viewers were indeed stunned to see her onscreen when Celso (Soliman Cruz) and Olga (Irma Adlawan) recounted what happened in the past, revealing that they actually known each other for a long time already.

It was because Bubbles is actually Olga’s mystery daughter Samantha, whom she opted to entrust to Celso in order to protect her from the ruthless Don Julio (Tommy Abuel). Ever since she was young, Bubbles has been boyish with how she behaves and dresses up, not to mention that she’s always been palaban not just for herself, but for her loved ones and the people who need help as well.

Alma Concepcion and Leandro Baldemor as Queeny and Jimmy

Aside from having a doting grandfather in Celso, Bubbles has also found loving adoptive parents in Queeny and Jimmy, played by Alma and Leandro, who have been in the industry since the late ‘90s. Their stints might be really brief, with Alma being shot to her death when a group of unknown men broke into their house to take Bubbles away, but those were enough to startle viewers, especially the older ones, upon seeing them on the screen.

Beauty queen-turned-movie star, Alma used to be an in-demand leading lady in movies in her younger years and continues to appear in various TV shows at present. The same with Leandro, who used to headline several adult films, then opted to focus more on his passion as a sculptor and his wood carving business than his acting career in the past years.

Deborah Sun as Yolly

Just like her screen surname, Deborah’s acting career actually used to be as bright as the sun as she appeared in a slew of movies and series back in the early days. She might have gone through a difficult time in her life, but she’s able to overcome it and once again tried to get back on track, surprising us with her sudden appearance in FPJ’s Batang Quiapo as Yolly.

She’s the love interest of Lucio (Ronnie Lazaro), who willingly helped him and his group in hiding from the authorities and the henchmen of Augustus (Julio Diaz) who are both after them, as well as in their missions of saving Amanda (Lorna Tolentino) and exacting revenge at Augustus. However, just when we’re already rooting for Yolly and Lucio to be together, she was killed during a recent encounter with Augustus’ minions.

Janice Jurado as Mama Janeth

Another senior actress who made an astonishing comeback through the series is Janice, who was able to bounce back from the challenges that she had to go through in the past years. She amused us with her portrayal of “Mama Janeth”, the pimp who hired Mokang (Lovi Poe) in the clubs she worked at and who introduced her to Ramon (Christopher de Leon), a.k.a. Albert. We haven’t seen her again ever since Mokang left her job and got married to Albert. It might be short, but her stint left a remarkable impression on the viewers.

Eric Fructuso as Banjo

From being a matinee idol in the ‘90s, Erich has gone on to portray antagonistic characters in his acting projects in previous years. Just like when he made a brief appearance in FPJ’s Batang Quiapo as Banjo, the pervert and arrogant owner of the beerhouse where Mokang initially worked. He tried to take advantage of Mokang, but she was able to beat him up. Upon learning that Mokang transferred to a bigger club through Janeth, Banjo attempted to take her back, which resulted in a fisticuff between him and Tanggol, along with their respective groups, who arrived just in time to save her, Janeth, and Chicky (Toni Fowler).

Dinky Doo and Ynez Veneracion as Boston and Marita

As Tanggol and Bubbles escaped from the authorities after engaging in a nail-biting shootout with them, the tandem sought refuge at a secluded resort owned by a couple named Boston and Marita, who were struggling to continue running their business. They were depicted by comedian Dinky Doo and former sexy actress Ynez Veneracion, who we also hadn’t seen for quite some time as well.

Aside from them, older audiences were also surprised to see Eddie Vale, Jaime Cuales, and Roberto Antonino, as they took on the roles of their hardworking and cheerful caretakers Nognog, Pango, and Bantay. Unbeknown to many, the trio were among the classic names in comedy, so it was indeed a delight to see them again share their comedic chops.

Via Veloso as Cynthia

From simply appearing in TV guestings, the former sexy star went on to have a brief appearance in FPJ’s Batang Quiapo as Cynthia, the younger sister of Amanda (Lorna Tolentino) who was mercilessly killed by Augustus’s henchmen. Her stint might be short, but it was significant as Cynthia’s death is one of the reasons why Amanda is really keen on toppling Augustus down.

We’re looking forward to see more stars who are going to make remarkable stints in FPJ’s Batang Quiapo as it commences its second year!

Never miss an episode of this well-loved series, weeknights at 8:00 PM on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live, TV5 and A2Z.

*Photos credit to Janice Jurado FB, Alma Concepcion IG, Ynez Veneracion IG