Batang Quiapo (Series)



FPJ's Batang Quiapo (lit. 'FPJ's Quiapo Kid') is a Philippine action series which started airing on February 13, 2023, replacing Mars Ravelo’s Darna. Fresh from the success of Ang Probinsyano, Batang Quiapo is based on the 1986 film of the same name by famed action star Fernando Poe, Jr.. Unlike the previous FPJ adaptation where we follow the rather eventful life of a police officer from a far-flung province, Coco Martin steps on the shoes of someone from the other side of the law: a street rat and pickpocket named Tanggol whose increasingly daring exploits have earned him the (unwanted) attention of both law enforcement and his friends and relatives, set in the backdrop of the historic district of Quiapo, Manila where the famed religious icon of the Black Nazarene is situated.


 * Anachronism Stew: The armored car chase flashback scene in particular, where Ramon and his crew are seen using 2000s-era Nokia phones as well as the E100 Corollas used by the police, and yet we see a glimpse of a third-generation Mitsubishi Pajero Sport (sold in the Philippines as the Montero Sport) parked nearby. Several cars that were made before the year 2000 can also be seen among the traffic.
 * Abusive Parents: Tanggol's father Rigor, especially as he refuses to acknowledge Tanggol as his own son.
 * Action-Hogging Opening: The intro sequence follows a similar concept as with Ang Probinsyano, highlighting Tanggol's exploits throughout the show's run.
 * Adaptation Expansion: As what would inevitably play out like with Coco's previous take on an FPJ classic.
 * Adaptation Name Change:
 * Coco's character is given a new name: Jesus Nazareno "Tanggol" V. Dimaguiba
 * Don Julian, a character from the original film, was named Don Julio Montenegro in the series.
 * Attempted Rape: JP tries to molest Mokang not just once, but twice. First was when he and Mokang were inside his car, and when JP lures Mokang into the bathroom. Mokang was able to fight off the first attempt, while Tanggol beats the shit out of JP on the second.
 * The Caper: Ramon and his cohorts hijack an armored van at the United Philippines Bank branch near Escolta. The scene was pulled off with such realism that some of Coco's stunt crew were actually arrested by Real Life SWAT teams who mistook the filming for an actual heist; Coco and the staff had to explain the situation at the local precinct as a result of the apparent misunderstanding.
 * The Cassandra: Mokang pleads to the school board to not have her scholarship revoked after the bathroom incident, insisting that JP tried to rape her; the board did not buy into her alibi and sternly chastised Mokang for the violent acts she (indirectly) caused.
 * Chase Scene: Plenty of them, given the series' premise.
 * Child by Rape:
 * Cool Car: Some of the vehicles used in the series' chase sequences are actually from Coco's personal car collection, particularly the Mini which he had customised specifically for the show.
 * Cranky Landlord: Roda, the Dimaguibas and Dimaculangans' landlord. Besides being a Jerkass for his condescension and extortionate rental rates, he later uses his familial connections with Rigor's superior to have Tindeng jailed.
 * Dirty Cop: Augustus, a high-ranking police officer who moonlights as a crime boss.
 * Even Evil Has Standards:
 * Tanggol has no qualms about committing petty theft, but he draws the line with Sexual Extortion as he dissuaded a friend–who is a computer technician by trade–from the idea of breaking into his clients' computers with the intent of leaking intimate images and coaxing his clients to pay up for said images to be rescinded. Thieving someone of their personal belongings is one thing, but sex offenses are far, far more devious even for a career criminal.
 * Despite having been idolised by street children around Quiapo especially for giving cops a royal headache, Tanggol would often tell the kids not to follow in his footsteps.
 * Government Agency of Fiction: The fictitious "National Law Enforcement Agency" which stood in for the Philippine National Police, likely due to disputes between the Philippine government and ABS-CBN during the Duterte administration which led to the network's revocation of their broadcast licence.
 * Fat Bastard: Bochok, the most rotund member of the Tondo gang, with his insatiable appetite being a running gag.
 * Ironic Name: Tanggol, through his birth name Jesus Nazareno. Surely a man named after Jesus wouldn't even think about picking pockets and evading the law, right?
 * Made Of Iron: Ramon in his younger years was roughed up by Rigor, who hit him with a dart in the leg, bashed in the face with a blunt object, shot multiple times and was swarmed by an angry mob. And he scoffed all of it off somehow.
 * The Musical: Averted in the adaptation, unlike the original whose action, comedy and drama sequences are interspersed with the occasional song and dance number.
 * Named After Somebody Famous: Tanggol's birth name Jesus Nazareno, both in reference to Jesus Christ and the image of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo where the series takes place. (Given how Roman Catholicism is the predominant religious sect in the Philippines, this doesn't come as a surprise.)
 * No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: Tanggol did this to his brother David upon finding out that he was responsible for stealing his money.
 * Tanggol Is About to Shoot You: See the page image.
 * Strong Family Resemblance:
 * This Is a Work of Fiction: The show's producers had to put up an all persons fictitious disclaimer especially after the gaffe they had over alleged stereotyping of Muslims to which they issued an apology for the incident, with Coco Martin himself personally reaching out to fellow actor and politician Robin Padilla—who is a prominent and outspoken Muslim—to explain his situation and offer his own plea for forgiveness.
 * Villain Protagonist: Tanggol.