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From star to 'father of child stars': Bobot Mortiz recalls career

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ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1718514254965vlcsnap-2024-06-16-12h42m01s106.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Director Edgar &#x27;Bobot&#x27; Mortiz. <em>Screenshot from video on Bernadette Sembrano&#x27;s YouTube channel</em></span></span></span>MANILA — Before directing numerous shows that launched the careers of some of the country&#x27;s biggest stars today, Edgar &quot;Bobot&quot; Mortiz himself started out as a young star.</div><p>Mortiz looked back on his career in show business in a recent video posted on broadcast journalist Bernadette Sembrano&#x27;s YouTube channel.</p><p>Today, Mortiz is renowned for helming the children&#x27;s comedy show &quot;Goin&#x27; Bulilit,&quot; which introduced big-name stars like Kathryn Bernardo, Julia Montes, Miles Ocampo, Jane Oineza, Alexa Ilacad, Andrea Brillantes and Belle Mariano, among many others.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/2024/6/16/sophia-laforteza-s-group-katseye-to-drop-1st-single-on-june-28-1028"><strong>LIST: Kapamilya artists who were part of &#x27;Goin&#x27; Bulilit&#x27;<br/></strong></a></div><p>But prior to directing the program, Mortiz had a career in show business after winning in the singing competition &quot;Tawag ng Tanghalan,&quot; he recounted in the video.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/2024/3/24/edgar-bobot-mortiz-returns-to-music-with-new-album-1505"><strong>READ: Edgar &#x27;Bobot&#x27; Mortiz returns to music with new album<br/></strong></a></div><p>Later, he appeared in the variety show &quot;Oras ng Ligaya,&quot; initially paired with superstar Nora Aunor. However, their pairing was dissolved when Aunor was paired with another star, Tirso Cruz III.</p><p>This led to Mortiz being assigned to another love team with Vilma Santos, with whom he openly admitted developing romantic feelings.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HDB-VI29iYI?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div><p>Mortiz eventually transitioned into directing, working on shows that became the starting points of many stars, including the sketch comedy show &quot;Tropang Trumpo&quot; and youth-oriented sitcom &quot;Let&#x27;s Go.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Kung nag-manage ako noong araw, sigurado mayaman na ako ngayon (If I had managed talents back then, I would surely be rich now),&quot; he said.</p><p>While &quot;Goin&#x27; Bulilit&quot; was mainly a comedy show, Mortiz was the potential in some of the other cast members to pursue other fields, such as dramatic acting.</p><p>&quot;May magiging komedyante, paglaki, may bida ... Nakikita ko na [future nila],&quot; he said.</p><p>(Some were going to be comedians when they grew up, others would be lead actors... I already saw their future.)</p><p>&quot;Tinuturuan ko lang sila, ako lang nagka-casting sa kanila hanggang napupuna na sila ng ABS. Ang sabi ko lang sa kanila, &#x27;Pabayaan niyo muna sa&#x27;kin. Hayaan niyo munang mahinog bago niyo kunin,&#x27;&quot; he said.</p><p>(I was just teaching them, I was the one casting them until ABS noticed them. I told the ABS management, &#x27;Leave them to me for now. Let them mature first before you take them.&#x27;)</p><p>Mortiz said he was happy to be giving a new batch of kids the opportunity to enter show business through the return of &quot;Goin&#x27; Bulilit,&quot; which premieres June 17.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/2024/5/31/-goin-bulilit-returning-to-tv-on-june-17-1033"><strong>READ: &#x27;Goin&#x27; Bulilit&#x27; returning to TV on June 17</strong></a></div>

<p>Before directing numerous shows that launched the careers of some of the country's biggest stars today, Edgar 'Bobot' Mortiz himself started out as a young star.</p>

Before directing numerous shows that launched the careers of some of the country's biggest stars today, Edgar 'Bobot' Mortiz himself started out as a young star.