Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang

"Lola Basyang" is the pen name of Severino Reyes, founder and editor of the Tagalog magazine Liwayway. From 1925, Reyes wrote a series of stories for children under the title Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang (The Stories of Grandmother Basyang). The original magazine stories have been adapted for comics (komiks), television, the cinema, and published in book form.

Liwayway
In 1925, Reyes wrote a series of short stories under the series title Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang (The Stories of Grandmother Basyang) for Liwayway, the Tagalog language magazine. . Reyes, also known as Don Binoy, adopted the persona of a woman he knew as Lola Basyang, an elderly woman fond of telling stories to her grandchildren. 

Tagalog Klasiks
In 1949, Pedrito Reyes, son of Severino Reyes, decided to revive the Lola Basyang stories in comic book form. Flipino comics are referred to as komiks. It was a golden age for Philippine comics or komiks, and Pedrito used his father's original scripts to produce the comics version which appeared in the earliest issues of the Tagalog Klasiks. The illustrations were done by Maning De Leon, Jesus Ramos, and later on Ruben Yandoc and Jess Jodloman mahal.

Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang (Sampaguita Pictures, 1958)
From 1946 to 1972, the Golden Age of Komiks and Movies in the Philippines coincided. Since Komiks was a popular form of entertainment in the Philippines during that time, movie producers created some of the greatest box-office blockbusters from komiks materials. Translating komiks stories into films/movies became a trend in the local cinema during that time, thus, "Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang" was produced by Sampaguita Pictures in 1958. This movie is a twinbill of two Lola Basyang stories.

Dolphy starred in "Si Pedrong Walang Takot" (Fearless Pedro).This is about a cowardly man named Pedro who gains courage by means of an enchanted bell that he used to scare away the kapre (a hairy giant).

The second one is "Ang Prinsesang Naging Pulubi" (The Princess Who Became a Beggar). A princess from a faraway land (portrayed by the glamorous Gloria Romero) rejected all of her high-profile suitors, believing that material riches cannot provide genuine happiness. Her act of constantly spurning her suitors provoked the ire of his father, the King. He decreed that she be given to the first beggar who finds his way to the royal garden. From this beggar (Juancho Gutierrez), she found true love.

Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang (Regal Films, 1985)
In 1985, Regal Films produced Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang. The trilogy starred Chichay as the lovable Lola Basyang. In fact, the character Lola Basyang is attached to Chichay up to date. This movie was directed by Maryo J. delos Reyes. The three stories features three of the most popular love teams of that circa: Gabby Concepcion and Snooky Serna, William Martinez and Maricel Soriano, and Nora Aunor and Tirso Cruz III.

The first story is entitled "Nahihimbing na Kagandahan" (Sleeping Beauty) which is inspired by the classic fairy tale Sleeping Beauty. Gabby Concepcion and Snooky Serna makes stars in this Sleeping Beauty-inspired episode. This also stars Lani Mercado, Nova Villa and Gretchen Barreto.

The second story is a horror-comedy flick entitled "Zombie". It starred the love-team of Maricel Soriano and William Martinez with Manilyn Reynes. The three, gets lost while en route to a camping trip. They enter an eerie house, manned by the even creepier albeit funny Palito and while chugging down the soup filled with human entrails they still managed to accept the offer to sleep over at the decrepit house. They did manage to stay alive, while screaming their heads off in the process.

The third episode is a semi-musical entitled "Kerubin". It is about a group of child laborers working for three mean old ladies headed by Bella Flores, and how Kerubin (played by Chuckie Dreyfuss), an angel sent by God to free these kids from the clutches of evil. Nora Aunor stars as the niece of the mean old ladies, who happens to be the good one. Tirso Cruz III, Lou Veloso, Sheryl Cruz and Tina Paner were also in the cast.

Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang (Tahanan Books)
In 1997, Tahanan Books published a collection of twelve Lola Basyang tales. Poet and literary critic Bienvenido Lumbera sifted through hundred of manuscripts to select the best of Reyes' tales. Author and publisher Gilda Cordero-Fernando delivered the original English translation and children's book illustrator Albert Gamos rendered over 30 illustrations. The books won the Gintong Aklat (Golden Book) for Children's Literature and the National Book Award for Best Anthology.

Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang (Anvil Publishing) Picture Books
In 2006, Anvil Publishing, Inc. relaunched Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang a series of picture books based on the tales written by Severino and retold by Christine Bellen.

The 10 picture books are:
 * Ang Alamat ng Lamok," (The Legend of the Mosquito, which was originally entitled Ang Parusa ng Higante, The Giant's Curse'')
 * Mahiwagang Biyulin" (Magic Stars'')
 * Parusa ng Duwende ( The Dwarf's Curse)
 * Plautin ni Periking
 * Rosa Mistica (Mystical Rose)
 * Ang Binibining Tumalo sa Hari (The Maiden Who Defeated a King)
 * Ang Prinsipe ng mga Ibon (Prince of Birds)
 * Ang Prinsipeng Duwag (The Cowardly Prince)
 * Si Pandakotyong
 * Ang Prinsipeng Mahaba ang Ilong (The Prince with the Long Nose)

All books were illustrated by Frances Alcaraz, Albert Gamos, Elbert Or, Liza Flores and Ruben de Jesus.

Television Adaptation
GMA Network bought the rights for a TV serialization of Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang. This airs every Sunday night. The show is directed by Argel Joseph and Don Michael Perez

Plot
Mga Kuwento Ni Lola Basyang gives a fresh take to the traditional rocking chair storytelling by introducing a younger character who will continue the legacy of Lola Basyang. Singer-actress Manilyn Reynes stars as Gervacia Zamora Reyes a.k.a. Herbie, Lola Basyang's compassionately strong-willed and high-spirited granddaughter who has made it her personal advocacy to disseminate Lola Basyang's unforgettable stories. Together with her eight-year-old son Efren (Paul Salas), she drives around in a "rolling library" van packed with Lola Basyang's books and goes to various places to spread Lola Basyang's classic tales and golden values.

Production credits

 * Directed by: Argel Joseph & Don Michael Perez (2nd unit)
 * Creative Consultant: Jun Lana
 * Story Consultant: Christine Bellen
 * Head Writer: Gina Marissa Tagasa-Gil
 * Episode Writers: Agnes de Guzman, Dinno Erece, Adrian Ho
 *  Supervising Producer:  Ms. Lilybeth Rasonable
 * Executive Producer: Joseph Buncalan
 * Production Manager: Redgynn S. Alba

Trivia

 * Severino Reyes was 75 years of age when he wrote the first Lola Basyang story "Ang Plautin ni Periking", which was about a kindhearted kid who had a magical flute and flying carpet.
 * Manilyn Reynes, who plays Herbie, the granddaughter of Lola Basyang in the TV series, was also part of the second episode of th 1985 film "Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang".
 * The name of Manilyn Reynes in the series is Gervacia Zamora Reyes a.k.a. "Herbie"; this was based on Gervacia Guzman de Zamora or Tandang Basyang, which inspired Severino Reyes to write under the pen name "Lola Basyang".