Oras ng Ligaya: True to its title

Last Thursday, I began tracing the late afternoon to early evening variety shows that were aired on local television 40 years ago. Below is the continuation:

In the mid-‘60s-at 6 p.m. sharp – a familiar tune would come from the living room of every home in the Greater Manila Area (which was how Metro Manila was then known). The song went like this: Oras ng ligaya. Halina tayo’y magsaya. Iwasan natin ang lumbay... habang tayo’y nabubuhay. Magsama-sama tayo sa Oras ng Ligaya...

Oras ng Ligaya was a variety show that was produced by ABS-CBN Channel 3 and directed by the late Tony Santos, Sr. It featured Sylvia la Torre, Eddie San Jose, Oscar Obligacion and Vic Pacia who would later meet an early death after he figured in a car crash in November 1973.

Although station-produced, Oras ng Ligaya was run like a family business: The show’s hosts and director kept bringing in their family members to appear in the program. Tony Santos, Jr. eventually became a regular in the show. For a while, the viewers also saw Rudy San Jose (the son of Eddie) and Sylvia’s sister, Susan la Torre, who often provided song numbers in Oras ng Ligaya.

Sometime in 1968, even Gina Pareño – then being rumored to be romancing Tony Santos Sr. off-camera (she was openly being teased about it on the air) – also joined the cast of this variety series.

Oras ng Ligaya – which was later extended to one hour and a half (5:30 to 7 p.m.) – featured different segments during its seven-year run on television.

It welcomed amateur performers (they had to pass an audition, though, if they didn’t have the proper connection) who sang (solo, duet or as a group) and danced (Hawaiian, Tahitian, ballet or pop).

One of the show’s regular performers was Baby de Jesus who played the piano (marvelously) and -through the years – later also sang to her own accompaniment. (Viewers though appreciated more her piano playing.)

Singing contests were also endless in this variety series – with Tom Jones’ hit song Delilah as a popular piece among the aspirants.

Then, there was the on-the-air acting audition for kids who were made to sing, dance, laugh and cry on cue.

For a while, the show also conducted a contest among adults who could give the best opinion regarding a particular situation. One of the situations that was given to the contestants one time went like this: If you wakeup one evening to find your house on fire, who or what would you save first? A) A chest filled with a lot of money, B) Your sick spouse or C) Your little children.

After the contestants had given their answers, the hosts would take over and give their own views regarding the situation. Sylvia would always give the logical and popular opinion, while Vic Pacia would go to the extreme end and cite really absurd answers for comic effort.

Actually, this segment was really ridiculous. But somehow, it worked and proved to be popular among the viewers.

The most awaited portion of the show, however, was the daily live comedy skit. (Sometimes it also turned drama – especially during Holy Week.)

Since Oras ng Ligaya had to present six story- lines per week (the show ran from Monday to Saturday), it had to resort to adaptation most of the time. Once, it featured the story of Samson – with Oscar Obligacion playing the part of this biblical character known for his great strength. Then, there was also a time it presented the legend of bagoong and how it became known as such.

One of the more memorable stories it presented cast Vic Pacia as an atheist who had trouble dealing with his wife’s family whose members were all devout Catholics. Viewers immediately perceived this as an attack on the person of the late hard-hitting radio commentator Damian Sotto. Gina Pareño, who played Vic Pacia’s wife in the story, had to issue a disclaimer at the end of the show and said that what was presented in their skit was purely fiction.

By the early ’70s, Oras ng Ligaya already looked tired and worn out. It eventually folded up in 1972 and was replaced by anotherr variety program called On With the Show. (To be concluded)