Almost two months after it was launched, TV5’s happiness-on-wheels, Happy Truck Ng Bayan, remains unstoppable in its journey to bring happiness and cheer to millions of Filipinos all over the country. From its first stop in Tondo to its most recent location in Pampanga, the program proves that its actual presence in various barangays is still the most genuine way to inspire people and make them smile.

A brainchild of TV5’s Chief Entertainment Content Officer Wilma V. Galvante, Happy Truck Ng Bayan was designed with the audiences in the mind. Instead of asking the audiences to leave their homes and go to the studios, Galvante thought of literally bringing the show to the barangays – a first-of-its-kind innovation on Philippine TV.

“We want the audiences to let TV5 come closer to their homes and make us a part of their daily lives. Of course, the way to do that is to literally go where they live and knock at their doorsteps,” said Galvante.

Hence, TV5’s most ambitious project for 2015 was born. Happy Truck Ng Bayan pooled together TV5’s biggest stars to ensure that the Happy Network delivers its promise of bringing Sunday noontime happiness. Leading Happy Truck Ng Bayan’s powerhouse ensemble of stars is Kapatid singer-songwriter Ogie Alcasid, who also got a taste of happiness as he himself became reunited with long-time friend and partner-in-crime Janno Gibbs in the show.

“It’s always a pleasure working with him in a project,” Alcasid shared. “It feels good to collaborate with a good friend like him. We complement each other. Apart from the game part, the program has its music segments as well so Janno and I can have song numbers together. I’m glad that he has joined TV5.”

Happy Truck Ng Bayan is also hosted by Derek Ramsay, Gelli de Belen, Mariel Rodriguez-Padilla, Jasmine Curtis Smith, Empoy, Tuesday Vargas, Kim Idol, Eula Caballero, Martin Escudero, Alwyn Uytingco, Ritz Azul, Valeen Montenegro, Toni Aquino, Tom Taus, and TV5’s kilig stars Mark Neumann, Shaira Mae, Akihiro Blanco, Chanel Morales, Sophie Albert and Vin Abrenica.
As the show covered more barangays week by week, more celebrities joined the happiness bandwagon. Some of the featured guest hosts who have journeyed with Happy Truck Ng Bayan were Rufa Mae Quinto, Ruffa Gutierrez, Bianca King, Carl Guevarra, Randy Santiago,and Bituin Escalante.

To further contribute to the much-awaited Sunday fun, Happy Truck Ng Bayan has also introduced more segments along the way. Recently, netizens went gaga over macho blue-collar workers in the show’s personality search called OCW: Oh, Construction Worker! Meanwhile, the show also encourages communities to nominate and vote for their most deserving neighbors in Barangay Bayani. Still, the main highlight of the program remains to be the jackpot round Kwarta or Kwartruck, where contestants choose a lucky capsule and get the chance to bring home up to PHP 300,000.00.

The program also opened various media opportunities to advertisers. Aside from the on-air values gained from the program, advertisers reach more audiences for their brands and campaigns through various on-ground and below-the-line activation opportunities in Happy Truck Ng Bayan. Each episode are shot with hundreds to thousands of audiences coming from ten barangays covered by the program per location. These eyeballs are guaranteed audiences that will surely increase awareness for the brands. The same hundreds to thousands of audiences drawn by this “happiness-on-wheels” also allows the brands and potential sponsors to do sampling activities and merchandising.

These creative media solutions offered by TV5 prove that the Happy Network is not only great at bringing cheer to its viewers, but also the best when it comes to making advertisers happy
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TV5 also brings the good news that Happy Truck Ng Bayan is set to do episodes outside Metro Manila, starting from its most recent venture in Pampanga. Producers are already planning to go to key cities in Northern and Southern Luzon, as well as populous areas in Visayas and Mindanao.

Happy Truck Ng Bayan airs every Sunday, 11:30AM on TV5.