Pedro Penduko

Pedro Penduko is a Filipino fictional comic book character created by National Artist for Literature Francisco V. Coching. The character, who is styled as a folk hero, debuted in the magazine Liwayway in 1954.

In his numerous incarnations, Pedro Penduko is an ordinary human being with no superpowers. He is, however, resourceful and quick-witted in battling evil forces. He is aided by a magical amulet (known as Mutya in the television series). He is first introduced in the 1994 and 2000 films as a descendant of a family of legendary heroes but is a coward.

In the television version however, Pedro is the son of a mortal and a lambana (fairy) whose adventure begins as he starts searching for his lost father. He then encounters extraordinary creatures unique in Philippine folklore.

Filipino actor Efren Reyes Sr. was the first to play the role in a film. The second and iconic portrayal of Pedro Penduko was that of Ramon Zamora. The popular version of the character in the 90s was played by Janno Gibbs, who appeared in two Pedro Penduko films. Actor Matt Evans was cast as Penduko for a season of the television series Komiks. Komiks Presents: Da Adventures of Pedro Penduko was supposed to last only for a season but because of good ratings it was extended for two more seasons. The third and last season was retitled Komiks Presents: Si Pedro Penduko at ang mga Engkantao. Evans is credited for giving Penduko a curly-haired image, which had already become a trademark of the character.