Kampanerang Kuba

Kampanerang Kuba (literally Hunchbacked Lady Bellringer) was a fantasy soap opera television series broadcast by ABS-CBN in the Philippines. It was inspired by 1973 film with same title, which was starred by Vilma Santos and Bobot Mortiz. It was tagged as Pinoy Disney. It was originally based from a comic book series written by Pablo Gomez.

Story

Background

Lucia and Lourdes Saavedra are half-sisters. Lucia has fallen in love with Antonio, a poor man that her father does not approve of, while Lourdes falls in love with Martin. Though she doesn't know that he is also Prinsipe Abuk that has betrayed his people in order to be human instead of a kuba, that has fallen for Lucia. Lucia marries Antonio who she later believes to be dead from a beating her father has set up, especially since her friend and maid Jacinta told her that he was dead in order to hopefully one day win the love of Antonio, and then was told that her baby girl died in childbirth even though she could have sworn to hear her cry before passing out. Meanwhile Lourdes also gives birth that same night and delived a baby girl that she saw was a kuba before passing out that Martin switches with Lucia's baby and leaves his own baby at a church.

The kampanerang

The young kuba is then named Imang and grows up to be the kampanerang or the one that rings the church bell. She later becomes the nurse maid of Lourdes and has an immediate bond with her while her supposed daughter Veronica becomes jealous and finds comfort in her Aunt Lucia, who has come home after starting a new life with her American husband and stepson Luke. Lucia has some doubts about Veronica being her daughter since she has never felt any sort of motherly bond towards her. Though Lourdes and Lucia is sometimes heart broken by the fact that at times her closeness with Martin has caused her to have a bad heart/personality.

The Nuns always try to find a way to help Imang and even brought her back to life after Martin convinced people that she was evil and deserved to be stoned for supposedly stealing a sacred crown from the church. Afterwards the Nuns found a candle that when lit would turn her human. She used this as a way to pretend to be Lucia's long lost daughter Bernadette in order to stay close to her mother Lourdes, who after Imang "death" was finally told by the Nun's that Imang was actually her daughter.

During this time Veronica becomes angry that Luke has not returned her love but loves Bernadette instead. During this time she uses magic to change her appearance and adopt the name Agatha to gain her family's trust to extract revenge against Bernadette. Pablo has fallen for Bernadette even though as Imang he would always make fun of her and the truth about his parentage comes up. Lorenzo who loves Imang when she was a kuba. After Lucia's American husband Clark dies she finds out that Antonio did not die but has instead lost the use of his legs and believes that he has been betrayed by Lucia when it has her father's fault.

Resolution

In the end everybody finds out which daughter belongs to whom, Bernadette/Imang doesn't need the candle to stay human but is one permanently, Veronica got turned into a tree for her many misdeeds while both her parents rekindled their marriage while they take care of her, Martin is a kuba and Lourdes still loves him now that he has turned good, Luke sacrifices his life (at some point) for Imang/Bernadette, Bernadette chooses to be with Pablo, while Lorenzo finds another who looks the same as Bernadette.

Pre-production

It was first rumored that Claudine Barretto then Jodi Sta. Maria will get title role for "Fatima", often referred to as "Imang", but ABS-CBN picked Anne Curtis instead. On the other hand, Jodi got the role as Veronica.

Pablo S. Gomez wrote the script for series, who also works in another soap opera - Mga Anghel Na Walang Langit.

One-liner

The précis for the series is that the lady hunchback bellringer turns attractive whenever an enchanted candle is lit.

Cast

Anne Curtis — Fatima "Imang" De Vera/ Bernadette, derived from Our Lady of Fatima and St. Bernadette.

Jean Garcia — Lucia Saavedra, derived from Lucia dos Santos, who experienced an apparition of the Virgin Mary.

Eula Valdez — Lourdes Saavedra, derived from Our Lady of Lourdes.

Edgar Mortiz— Father Agaton

Malou de Guzman — Sister Marcelina

Eugene Domingo — Sister Cecilia, derived from St. Cecilia.

Meryll Soriano — Sister Clara, derived from St. Clare of Assisi.

Christian Bautista — Lorenzo, derived from St. Lorenzo Ruiz.

Luis Manzano — Pablo, derived from St. Paul.

Patrick Garcia — Luke, derived from St. Luke.

Jodi Sta Maria-Lacson / Desiree Del Valle — Veronica Saavedra/Agatha

Matt Hadfield — Lucia's American husband Clark Tennyson

Jaime Fabregas — Don Francisco Saavedra

Jomari Yllana — Martin de Vera/Prinsepe Abuk

Arlene Muhlach — Aling Teresing

DJ Durano — Angel

Yul Servo — Antonio

Mark Bautista — Repus Akach

Chokoleit — Otlum

Cherry Pie Picache — Jacinta

Frederick Schnell — Dr. Clark Tennyson

Marco Alcaraz— Gabriel, derived from Archangel Gabriel.

DJ Durano — Angel

Frances Ignacio — Sarah Durano

Allan Paule — Solomon Durano

Cheena — Magdalena Durano

Cacai Bautista — Matilda Durano

Louisse Belle Pressman — the young Imang de Vera

Joshua Cadelina — the young Lorenzo

Production and Crew

Directed by: Wenn V. Deramas and Andoy L. Ranay

Assistant Director: Raymond Ocampo