Nandito Ako (TV series)

Nandito Ako (English: Here I Am) is a 2012 Philippine television drama series broadcast by TV5. Directed by Mac C. Alejandre, it stars David Archuleta, Jasmine Curtis and Eula Caballero. It aired from February 20 to March 23, 2012, replacing P. S. I Love You.

Nandito Ako
Title card
Genre	Drama
Created by	TV5 Network
Written by	Renato Custodio, Jr. Charlotte Dianco Renei Dimla Evie Macapugay
Directed by	Mac C. Alejandre
Starring	David Archuleta Jasmine Curtis Eula Caballero
Theme music composer	Aaron Paul del Rosario and Ogie Alcasid
Opening theme	"Nandito Ako" by David Archuleta
Country of origin	Philippines
Original language	Filipino
No. of episodes	25
Production
Running time	30-45 minutes
Original release
Network	TV5
Release	February 20 (2012-02-20) – March 23, 2012 (2012-03-23)

The programme was the second Mini Serye by TV5, and like the first one, Sa Ngalan ng Ina (lit. In the Name of the Mother), it was also set to air for only a month.

Synopsis

International singing star Josh Bradley is a Filipino-American who was born and raised in the Philippines. When he was six years old, he was separated from his mother, Cara, during a hotel fire, who was believed to have died. After the incident, Josh moved to the United States, beginning his musical career. Years later, Josh returns to the Philippines to find out what really happened to his mother and search for the little girl he encountered and befriended during the hotel fire.

Cast and characters

Main cast

Cast	Character	Character Information
David Archuleta	Josh Bradley	A Filipino-American who was born in the Philippines but grew up in the United States and became an international artist. He returns to the Philippines, later finding out and believing that his mother, Cara, had died in a fire when he was six years old. This all changed when his mother's friend, Mylene, informs him that his mother is still alive. He understands Tagalog but has limited command of the language.
Jasmine Curtis-Smith	Epifania "Anya" Dionisio	Daughter of Teresa Dionisio and later Josh Bradley's love interest. Anya at first rejected Josh's love, afraid that Holly will get mad at her. She first met Josh in the hotel fire in 1996, where he saved her life. She is revealed to have Josh's broken wristwatch.
Eula Caballero	Holly Posadas	Coming from a rich family, Holly wants to live up to the high expectations of her stepmother, Margareth, who seems ever displeased with her stepdaughter's actions. She and Anya had a rocky start, but eventually became friends because the latter helped her out through several unfortunate events. She is a fan of Josh Bradley whom she later met on a date. Holly is eventually diagnosed with brain cancer towards the end of the series and dies, leaving Josh and Anya to live happily ever after.
G. Toengi	Cara "Aguilar" Bradley	Josh Bradley's mother who he thought had perished in the 1996 hotel fire. Years later, her friend Mylene reveals to an older Josh that Cara had in fact survived the disaster.
Gelli de Belen	Teresa Dionisio	Anya Dionisio's mother, who was a former "Guest Relations Officer" at Clark Air Base, where she met American officer Mark Watson and bore Anya. They were about to leave for the United States when they were caught in the hotel fire, causing Mark's death. Teresa has since returned to her former job while raising Anya.
Aiko Melendez	Margareth Posadas	Holly's wicked stepmother. She always treated Holly with disdain while exhibiting excessive pride in her eldest daughter, Audrey. She became very strict with Holly after her husband, Jaime, left them because she loved Holly more than him.

Extended cast

Cast	Character	Character Information
Joseph Bitangcol	Mando Batongbakal	Anya's childhood friend, who secretly loves her.
Alwyn Uytingco	Billy Parsons	Josh Bradley's best friend.
Ana Capri	Mylene	Cara's best friend who told Josh that his mother is still alive.
Byron Ortile	Aladdin Dionisio	Anya's younger half-brother.
Mon Confiado	Pablito	Josh Bradley's driver
David Bianco	Steve Bradley	Josh's uncle. He was the one who told and made Josh believe that his mother died in the fire incident. He constantly tries to control Josh.
Ana Feleo	Chit Enriquez	Josh Bradley's road manager
RS Francisco	Volta	Teresa's best friend and godmother to Anya. Owns a small hair salon.
Perla Bautista	Yaya Rosa	Housekeeper of the Posadas family.

Guest cast / special appearance

Cast	Character	Character Information
Andrea Brillantes	Young Anya	She played as young Anya.
Jay Durias	Himself	He played the keys on Josh Bradley's concert in Manila.
Gio Salvador	Mark Watson	Anya's father. He is an American soldier who left Anya and Teresa when Anya was still very young. A few years after he left Teresa's family, he returned to them and apologized for leaving, telling them that he would take them to the states and live there. However, it never happened because he died in the hotel fire tragedy.
Lucky Mark Mercado	Gerald	Holly and Anya's classmate. He has a bad character. Once, he, together with Holly's friends, framed her for possession of marijuana, which caused her trouble. He also tried to molest Anya by tricking her to tutor him and spiking her juice drink with sleeping powder. But before he even got to his attempt to harass Anya, Holly confronted him and took Anya away with her.
Mae "Juana Change" Paner	Aling Tasing	Neighbor of the Dionisios and is in conflict with them.
Jay Austria	Lantoy	Son of Tasing.
Morissette	Denise	Anya's close friend.
Antonette Garcia	Aling Baby	She owns the house which the Dionisios rent.
	Jaime	Margareth's husband who left his family because he had an affair with Teresa.
Joe Summers	Harold Bradley	Josh's father and younger brother of Steve. Died in a bar fight trying to help Cara and her friends. He appears in episode 13 in Steve's flashback.
	Emil	Cara's husband and Josh's stepfather, first appears in episode 16. He lived with Cara in Batangas and was the reason Cara didn't go to Manila to find Josh, since he was sick and she had to take care of him.

Trivia

• The theme song of the mini-soap opera with the same title was originally performed by singer-songwriter Ogie Alcasid and later remade by Mexican diva, Thalia.
• Gelli de Belen and Aiko Melendez both worked in the series. However, their husbands Ariel Rivera and Jomari Yllana (Aiko's ex-husband) recently worked in ABS-CBN's E-Boy respectively.
• This is David Archuleta's first Filipino and only Asian TV project.

See also

• List of TV5 (Philippine TV network) original programming

External links

• Follow Archuleta
• Nandito Ako at IMDb