Pinoy teens are in school in the afternoons, and it’s their parents and elders who hog the TV in those hours, so GMA 7 has smartly decided to put up on its afternoon slot this 2025 a romcom starring adult actors led by Herlene Budol, 25; Tony Labrusca, 29; and Thai-Irish guy Kevin Dasom, 32, a newcomer in Pinoy showbiz but a seasoned celebrity in Thailand.

Binibining Marikit (Beautiful Maiden) is the Kapuso network’s newest afternoon delight which premieres on 10 February. It is Budol’s second series with the network, the first being Magandang Dilag (Lovely Maiden) in 2023.

Dasom is not the only foreigner in the lead cast.  Labrusca is a Fil-American born in the US, raised in Canada by a Fil- American mother named Angel Jones, a member of a group of singers in the Philippines in the ‘90s known as Kulay. 

Budol is a practically statuesque (at 5’ 9”) native of Angono town in Rizal province who was once fondly known as “Hipon Girl” as a co-host of the resilient Willie Revillame in the channel-crossing game show Wowowin. 

With a little reworking by doctors on her facial features, she joined the Binibining Pilipinas pageant and landed first runner-up in 2022. She joined a new pageant, Miss Grand, Philippines, and clinched the title Miss Philippines Tourism She was later then signed up by GMA 7 as one of the network’s Sparkle stars. 

Her Magandang Dilag ran for only one season. She had only one leading man then, Rob Gomez, and GMA 7 feels her new one could last longer if she has two of them in Binibining Marikit, namely, Labrusca and Dasom. 

Budol portrays Marikit, a funny but feisty member of an indigenous tribe, Dumagat Remontado, who serves as a tour guide in their family’s travel company. 

When wealthy and powerful people plan to take the land away from the Dumagat Remontados, Marikit decides to do everything to protect their heritage, community, and even her relationship with her father. 

Adding more depth to her story are award-winning actors Pokwang, Almira Muhlach, Thea Tolentino and Cris Villanueva. 

Completing the star-studded cast are Ashley Rivera, Jeff Moses, Migs Almendras and John Feir.

Above and beyond her efforts to save their legacy and culture, Marikit also tries to fill the void her mother caused by leaving the family years ago. 

On a more personal level, Marikit finds comfort through a dating app, where she meets the man of her dreams. Everything feels straight out of a fantasy for Marikit and her Internet boyfriend. But her world turns upside down when she finds out that she has entangled herself in a love scam.

Dasom is more than just Budol’s new leading man. He is a pageant titleholder, professional basketball player and former TV actor in Thailand.  

Because Dasom really looks like a foreigner, his character in the series has to be named Matthew Smith while Labrusca goes by the Pinoy moniker Drew Jimenez. 

Dasom stands out easily because of his height of 6’ 1” and nice physique. He is a male pageant joiner. His won the titles Manhunt International 2024 and Mister Supranational Thailand 2018. 

A former TV actor in Thailand, Kevin turned his back on showbiz limelight and pursued a professional basketball career.

“I did three or four teleseryes, and then things were going really well,” he revealed at the media huddle for Binibining Marikit.

“And then it didn’t work out on my end, not on their end.”

Later, he was made another offer. 

“I think I was a bit too overwhelmed by what they were approaching me with at that time. I have nothing against the industry in Thailand, but I’m way too foreign. 

“I would watch the scenes and you see a foreigner speak in Thai with other Thai artists. It just doesn’t make sense.” 

Dasom is fluent in Thai and English. But despite his 50 percent Thai blood, his appearance is very much similar to his Irish dad.

He sighed: “I am the only one in the family, 10 siblings, and I’m the only one who looks white, foreign!”

In other words, his looks gave him  a fish-out-of-water feeling as an actor in Thai showbiz. “And if I can’t buy into it, how would I give the fans, the viewers that I’ll be giving them that feeling… that I don’t believe myself? How could I expect the fans to believe me.”

But prior to accepting the acting project, he has been doing ramp and commercial modeling in the country Philippines since 2018. 

He actually knew Filipino ways even before he set foot here. 

Growing up in Thailand, Filipino teachers and coaches trained him in basketball, his favorite sport.

“They also taught me how to say thank you, what kuya is… I have a connection with the Philippines and would I love to stay here, of course.”

He finds the Filipino people some of the easiest people to talk to. “They’re very kind, warm, welcoming. I could be walking on the street and they’re just saying hi.”

Kevin also grew up knowing adobo and sisig, and swears that garlic rice in the country is special.

But how did he become a GMA artist?

He revealed that Jonas Gaffud, Miss Universe Organization director, was the one who paved the way.

Binibining Marikit is produced by the GMA Entertainment Group, headed by senior vice president Lilybeth G. Rasonable, vice president for Drama Cheryl Ching-Sy, assistant vice president for Drama Helen Rose S. Sese, senior program manager Antonio R. Pastorpide, and executive producer Lenie Santos.

The show’s artistic team consists of creative director Aloy Adlawan, creative head Des Garbes-Severino, senior creative consultant Kit Villanueva-Zapata, Creative Consultant Agnes Gagelonia-Uligan, Head writer Marlon G. Miguel, Writers Christine Novicio, Patrick Louie Ilagan, and Nehemiarey Dallego, and Brainstormer Dang Sulit-Marino.

Jorron Lee Monroy directs the series which is Labrusca’s first project with GMA 7 after he moved out from ABS-CBN. His last major Kapalya show was the series Nag-aapoy na Damdamin where he tangled with JC de Vera.

Catch Binibining Marikit from Mondays to Saturdays at 2:30 p.m. on GMA Afternoon Prime. Global Pinoys can also watch the program via GMA Pinoy TV.