Rafael Aranda Roco, Jr. (born November 20, 1953), popularly known as Bembol Roco, is a Filipino actor whose work ranges from films to television. He is famous for his critically acclaimed role as Julio Madiaga in Maynila: Sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag ("Manila in the Claws of Light"). Though he acts in his country's films, he also had an important role in the 1982 Australian-U.S. film The Year of Living Dangerously. He also portrayed villain roles in Philippine action movies due to his signature bald head as well as various supporting roles. Bem starred in Sine Novela: Tinik sa Dibdib.
He has twin sons named Felix and Dominic.
Roco appeared in a minor role in 2010's Dagim, a Cinema One Original film directed by Joaquin Pedro Valdes, about the strange goings-on in a remote mountain province.
He is well known to be most collaborative works with the late Lino Brocka, where he is a part of a group of actors called "Brocka babies",[5][6] and directors such as Ishmael Bernal, Chito S. Roño, Marilou Diaz-Abaya, and Joel Lamangan in the late twentieth century.
Action · History
As World War II rages, the elite Sixth Ranger Battalion is given a mission of heroic proportions: push 30 miles behind enemy lines and liberate over 500 American prisoners of war.
6.52005
Drama · Mystery
Julio, a young fisherman from a provincial village, descends into social alienation as he arrives in Manila to search for his loved one.
7.41975
Drama · Action & Adventure
Cha Moosik runs a casino bar, only to flee to the Philippines due to a crackdown by the National Tax Service. He launches a full-fledged casino business, and strategizes winning over the political and business circles in the Philippines. However, he is suddenly framed as a suspect in Min Seokjun's death, and is tracked by Oh Seunghoon of the Korean Desk. Betrayal is rampant in the presence of money.
5.92022
Drama
An assassin, a porn dubber and a transgender. Three souls. One explicit illusion. To find the ultimate joy in their empty lives. A safe haven, where passion and love mean humanity, ecstasy means enlightenment; and the soul is the ultimate arbiter of the truth.
5.92013
Action · History
As World War II rages, the elite Sixth Ranger Battalion is given a mission of heroic proportions: push 30 miles behind enemy lines and liberate over 500 American prisoners of war.
6.52005
Romance · Drama
A young Australian reporter tries to navigate the political turmoil of Indonesia during the rule of President Sukarno with the help of a diminutive photographer.
Drama · Mystery
Julio, a young fisherman from a provincial village, descends into social alienation as he arrives in Manila to search for his loved one.
7.41975
Drama
An assassin, a porn dubber and a transgender. Three souls. One explicit illusion. To find the ultimate joy in their empty lives. A safe haven, where passion and love mean humanity, ecstasy means enlightenment; and the soul is the ultimate arbiter of the truth.
5.92013
Drama · History
Rafael is a village mayor caught in the murderous crossfire of the Philippine-American War. When U.S. troops occupy his village, Rafael comes under pressure from a tough-as-nails officer to help the Americans in their hunt for Filipino guerilla fighters. But Rafael's brother is the head of the local guerillas, and considers anyone who cooperates with the Americans to be a traitor. Rafael quickly finds himself forced to make the impossible, potentially deadly decisions faced by ordinary civilians in an occupied country.
4.92011
Drama
Misfortune starts to happen on an island when a beautiful maiden is washed ashore. She falls in love with a local fisherman who eventually disappears after a sea accident. She commits to do and to give everything, even her body, in order to find him.
5.52021
Drama · Romance
Set during World War II, Rosario, a school teacher, enters a forbidden relationship with a Japanese soldier, Masugi.
7.31976
Drama · Thriller
A naive provincial girl finds a way to get ahold of her independence through the help of her girl best friend. But their actions have nerve-shattering consequences.
5.62019
Drama · Romance
Surrounded by a string of deaths, an older woman relives her romance with a mysterious, ageless lover as an inspector closes in on their dark secret.
6.62025
Drama · Action & Adventure
Cha Moosik runs a casino bar, only to flee to the Philippines due to a crackdown by the National Tax Service. He launches a full-fledged casino business, and strategizes winning over the political and business circles in the Philippines. However, he is suddenly framed as a suspect in Min Seokjun's death, and is tracked by Oh Seunghoon of the Korean Desk. Betrayal is rampant in the presence of money.
5.92022
Drama
Recognized as the longest and most award-winning drama anthology in the country, Charo Santos-Concio narrates real-life stories of people with well-crafted storylines, excellent performances by its actors, and topnotch production details.
6.91991
Drama
Wade and Jose Manuel, two people who magically meet although they are living in different periods - one in 1974, one in 2020. Jose Manuel is grounded after his military father learned of his relationship with Luis, an activist. Wade, on the other hand, is recovering from a recent break up with Eric and while on vacation is caught up in the Quarantine because of the COVID 19 Pandemic. After the super moon, an opportunity opens for these two heartbroken souls to connect across time and find love once again.
6.92020
Action & Adventure · Drama
In search of redemption, a crew of misfits joins a private military company on a series of deadly missions against the criminal underworld.
10.02025
Sci-Fi & Fantasy · Drama
Komiks is a Filipino fantasy-drama series that began airing on the ABS-CBN network on February 4, 2006. The series features popular local comic book stories and airs on Saturday evenings. The show is currently in its fifth season. It can also be seen on TFC: The Filipino Channel.
4.52006
Drama
Sa Piling Mo is a love story between both Judy Ann Santos and Piolo Pascual, which aired its pilot episode on February 27, 2006.
8.02006
Drama · History
Rafael is a village mayor caught in the murderous crossfire of the Philippine-American War. When U.S. troops occupy his village, Rafael comes under pressure from a tough-as-nails officer to help the Americans in their hunt for Filipino guerilla fighters. But Rafael's brother is the head of the local guerillas, and considers anyone who cooperates with the Americans to be a traitor. Rafael quickly finds himself forced to make the impossible, potentially deadly decisions faced by ordinary civilians in an occupied country.
4.92011
Drama
Misfortune starts to happen on an island when a beautiful maiden is washed ashore. She falls in love with a local fisherman who eventually disappears after a sea accident. She commits to do and to give everything, even her body, in order to find him.
5.52021
Drama
Ivan, a writer living in Manila, walks through the city in search of his past.
6.41982
Drama · Crime
In 1985, in the obscure town of Dolores, the Orapronobis, a cult under the leadership of Kumander Kontra, murders a foreign priest who gave the last rites to an alleged rebel, who was also executed by the same group.
6.91989
Crime · Thriller
A serial killer in Payatas leaves the bodies of young boys in the dump as two Jesuit priests try to solve the murders.
5.82017
Drama
A Bajau midwife copes with the irony of her own infertility amid the deprivations of her gypsy community in Tawi-Tawi. A saga of island life stuck between the devil of passion and the deep blue sea of tradition.
6.12012
The daughter of a circumciser rebels and challenges the status quo when she is asked to take over her father's job.
6.62005
Drama · Thriller
A teenage boy befriends a starlet who is having an affair with an ambitious mayor. As the elections are coming up, the mayor's wife wants him to get rid of his mistress. The starlet agrees to stop the affair on condition that the mayor help release her boyfriend from jail. The mayor does so, but wants the former jail-bird to kill his political rival.
6.61990
Romance · Comedy
Experiencing the forbidden. Experiencing rejection. Hating your parents. Hating the world around you. Discovering what's hot. Discovering what's cool. Discovering your first true love. Discovering who you are. Growing up can be such a wild time. But not when you've got the best guys to hang out with. Five chaste young men immerse themselves in the superficialities and superfluity of adolescence over the course of their last year in high school. But as they make their gradual transition from boyhood to manhood, they realize it is their formidable bond that stands as the real deal.
5.71984
Comedy
Jake (Jeffrey Quizon) is a caretaker at a boarding residence that houses a whole array of characters. But one day his life changes when he hovers over the lives of newlyweds Cecilia (Katya Santos) and Ding (Allen Dizon).
4.22005
Comedy · Drama
Escaping the torment of growing up with an abusive older brother, he and his friends found further suffering at the hands of Japanese soldiers, forced into sex work to survive. But even after the war, Markova's struggle continued.
7.42000
Family · Comedy
The journey in solving the greatest mysteries of life begins on the first day of school. Brainy Indy, MVP MJ2, Sosy Pre, Rebel Gael and Nice Guy Nathan are college freshmen who enter FDH University without knowing what college life will bring them. Until they all got involved in the biggest mystery the university has ever encountered- B.W.A.C.A. or Basketball Water Contamination Accident. Initial investigation shows that the water drank by the players during the game was contaminated by a mysterious substance.
5.82006
Romance · Drama
Pam meets Rico an Ivatan, and decides to leave her stressful life in the city to follow him to Batanes to meet his parents Boy and Lydia and marry him. Pam tries to adapt to the Ivatan way of life but hates the sea that Rico loves so much. Her hatred for the sea intensifies when her husband Rico dies in a fishing accident. Pam is devastated and decides to go back to Manila. But when she sensed that the sea was laughing at her failure, she chose to stay in Batanes to be with Rico's family. In one of her trips to the sea, she accidentally meets Kao Ken Chu, a Taiwanese, whom she rescues during a storm. As they spend time together, the two eventually fall for each other despite language barriers and cultural differences.
6.22007
Drama
Close friends Belle, Au and Claire are forced to take care of Baby Doll, a child borne of an affair between their friend and a club worker, after her mother unexpectedly passes away.
5.61987
Horror · Thriller
In this movie, the abuwak race is being threatened by extinction. The only way they can grow in numbers again is through the rare ability that only the soon-to-be queen of the abuwaks, Hasmin (Lovi Poe) possesses.
4.52011
Drama · Romance
Allan and Mia meet in the most unexpected way. They eventually become close, causing their romance to blossom. Faced with huge decisions in life, the two find it hard to fight for their love for each other.
8.22010
Action · Adventure
A police officer is tasked with capturing a gang of bank robbers led by a former elite force member.
4.22000
Drama
A sakada is a farmer who works in a sugarcane field. The film proceeds to document the stages of sugar production once in the mill, then shifts to the unrest outside where a sakada was shot to death by one of the hacienda's guards.
3.01976
History · War
Felix Yzagun Manalo is a sprawling historical epic that traces the origin of Iglesia Ni Cristo (The Church of Christ) which is established in the Philippines from its humble beginnings in 1914 through the present day.
3.72015
Drama
Virginal Ninay becomes a woman as an object of desire for liberation, but she's confused about her gender.
6.31978
Action & Adventure · Mystery
Asian Treasures is an action-adventure Philippine drama aired and produced by GMA Network starred by Angel Locsin and Robin Padilla, and was directed by Eric Quizon. This show is all about Asian History. It was the first Philippine drama shot in multiple countries such as Mongolia, Thailand and China. Its pilot episode, which garnered a 41.8% rating, aired on January 15, 2007. It was the most expensive TV series ever produced in the Philippine television costing more than 140 million pesos, roughly 3.1 million dollars, but is now outbeated by Amaya as the most expensive series ever.
6.02007
Drama
Ang Iibigin Ay Ikaw or My One And Only Love is the first ever cine novela in Philippine television. It was the grandest production GMA Network ever had with budget similar to a film project. Produced by GMA Network, Inc and directed by Joyce Bernal and Lore Reyes. Its story revolves around Lemuel, Mia and Waldo, whose lives and loves are intertwined because of the choices they make due to the ambitions they have set for themselves. In 2006-2007, the series was re-aired internationally on GMA Pinoy TV. From July 13, 2010 until April 18, 2011, it was re-aired on GMA Life TV worldwide.
10.02002
Drama
Sisid is a Philippine underwater action drama directed by Ricky Davao for GMA Network. It premiered on May 30, 2011, starring Jackie Rice, JC Tiuseco and Dominic Roco.
2011
Drama
Sa Ngalan ng Ina is a Filipino drama series by TV5. This is the first offering of TV5 Mini Serye which aired only for a month. It aired on October 3 after Wil Time Bigtime.
2011
Drama
Iisa Pa Lamang is a Philippine drama series aired in ABS-CBN. It is a suspense melodrama produced by ABS-CBN's drama department. It is led by actress Claudine Barretto, showing her worth not as a multi-awarded actress in movies and television but even with a powerhouse cast and reigning her role as the Second Queen of Philippine Soap Opera. It is also known as the 60th year Of Philippine Soap Opera's Best Soaps to be memorized by Philippine viewers. Throughout its run, NUTAM Ratings in November 2008 made it official that the soap reigned the No.1 spot with a 33.6% Iisa Pa Lamang has also been referenced for soaps such as Tayong Dalawa, Magkaribal, and Kung Tayo'y Magkakalayo and Ina Kapatid Anak Since 2011, Iisa Pa Lamang has also been pending to be sold to the Asian Market in 11countries In 2013,Malaysian Network Astro Bella will air the Series gaining rights to all episodes subtitled and dubbed in the Malaysian language. The series is also part of ABS-CBN International Sales line up a popular line up of Pure Filipino Telenovelas by Pioneering Award Winning Network ABS-CBN.
2008
Drama
Eddie Romero's miniseries adaptation of the novel from Filipino writer and activist Jose Rizal, published during the Spanish colonial period of the Philippines in 1887. Noli Me Tángere (Latin for "Touch Me Not") explores perceived inequities in law and practice in terms of the treatment by the ruling government and the Spanish Catholic friars of the resident peoples in the late nineteenth century.
1993
