‘Tamang Panahon’ raises P14M for charity

CEBU, Philippines – Believed to have maximized the 55,000 capacity of the Philippine Arena, the AlDub special of “Eat Bulaga” dubbed “Tamang Panahon” was also able to raise P14 million from the event’s ticket sales for the building of school libraries all over the country.

“History na, charity pa,” exclaimed “Eat Bulaga” host Joey de Leon. He suggested that the special is possibly the biggest in the 36-year-history of the popular noontime show but also possibly the most attended event in Philippine Arena since it opened its doors in July last year for the centennial celebration of the Iglesia ni Cristo, which owns it.

The highlight of the show — which continued the “Kalyeserye” saga that began only last July and accidentally introduced the phenomenal AlDub love team of Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza a.k.a. Yaya Dub — moved its live audience and televiewers nationwide to tears when Alden and Maine found themselves in a prolonged tight embrace for the very first time.

The crowd cheered when the usually strict Lola Nidora (Wally Bayola) announced that this was the right time or “tamang panahon” for Alden and Maine to finally get to know each other more intimately without the usual obstacles that stood between them in the past.

As Lola Nidora promised, there were no more plywoods, no more split screens and no more communicating in writing and via dubsmash.

In a Cinderella-themed number complete with matching glass slipper, a misty-eyed Alden sang Bryan White’s “God Gave Me You” as he and Maine finally held hands, hugged each other tightly and spoke at length to the crowd and to each other.

Audiences also got to know the real Maine better, as Lola Nidora narrated her humble beginnings, including how she became a dubsmash sensation on YouTube and how she eventually impressed both the Dabarkads and fans of “Eat Bulaga” in her Yaya Dub persona.

The Philippine Arena attendance is not the only record that “Tamang Panahon” is likely to break. On social media, #AlDubEBTamang Panahon also exceeded the 25.6 million tweets that the hashtag #AlDubEBforLove recorded last September 26.

As tight security measures were implemented by the Philippine Arena, with the Metro Manila Development Authority also deploying 50 traffic constables, 20 motorcycle enforcers and six tow trucks to ensure peaceful and orderly conduct, the almost six-hour TV special proceeded without a hitch or any untoward incident. – InterAksyon.com