Is love brewing between Tanggol (Coco Martin) and Bubbles (Ivana Alawi)?

Bubbles was recently met with a fresh start upon regaining her freedom from prison, unbeknownst to her, thanks to her biological mom, Olga (Irma Adlawan). As she walks away from the correctional facility, Tanggol promises to find her once he's released from jail as well, keeping us, viewers, excited with how their potential love story will unfold.

In this Kapamilya Toplist, scenes that encapsulate the tandem’s blossoming friendship in FPJ’s Batang Quiapo.

What demonstrates growing affection more clearly than when a man jeopardizes his own life for the woman he cares about? In the opening scene in this video montage, Tanggol rescued Bubbles from their fellow inmate, Bong (Vandolph Quizon), who attempted to violate her amidst the chaos of Prison Week.

Tanggol’s heroic save melted not only Bubbles’ heart but also that of her grandfather, Celso aka Mayor (Soliman Cruz), so much so that the old man subtly gave Tanggol his blessing to pursue his granddaughter. This was evident in a scene where Celso expressed his wish for Bubbles to find a man who would love her and provide her with a happy life. However, Bubbles thought it’d be impossible to find a decent man in jail, prompting Enteng (Jojt Lorenzo) to affirm that his friend Tanggol is a cut above the rest.

The teases grew louder as Bubbles personally thanked Tanggol in front of his friends for saving her life. Her eyes and tone revealed her soft side, a departure from her usual tough demeanor and tendency to mock Tanggol’s group as a way to mask her genuine concern for them.

Reminiscent of the old times when the Batang Quiapo squad played cupid for their leader, they now began pushing for Tanggol and Bubbles’ potential relationship. In a scene, they reassured Bubbles that their ‘tropa’ would instinctively come to her rescue when needed, and cited how every girl in their place who encountered his bravery had fallen for him, except for Mokang (Lovi Poe).

They say that another sign of falling in love is jealousy, which the group sensed from Bubbles’ sarcastic remarks about Mokang. However, she quickly deflected, insisting that she meant something else entirely. Then, she turned to Tanggol and encouraged him to eat more, drawing more teases from the group.

The conversation continued, with Bubbles sharing that Bong and Warden Balatucan (Robert Sena) tried to woo her, but neither met her standards. Tanggol’s buddies laughed, suggesting that even he might not stand a chance either, given that Bubbles seems picky. However, she clarified that she wasn’t being picky; she simply hadn’t found the right guy yet, eliciting more ‘asaran’ from the bunch.

In the succeeding scene, Tanggol and Bubbles found a moment to share their life stories and aspirations. He encouraged her to maintain hope that they could one day be released from jail, promising to reunite with her outside if they were ever granted freedom. Bubbles initially laughed off his optimism, but was soon stunned to learn that she was being acquitted from her case. Overwhelmed with joy, she rushed to Tanggol in front of the other inmates in his grandpa’s cell, embracing him tightly. Once again, their heartfelt moment sparked playful teasing from Tanggol's friends.

Follow Tanggol and Bubbles’ journey in FPJ’s Batang Quiapo, weeknights, on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live, TV5, and A2Z.