DERRICK MONASTERIO and Barbie Forteza

Premiering today, Nov. 5, before “24 Oras” on GMA’s Early Prime Block, “Paroa: Ang Kuwento ni Mariposa,” is another fantasy-drama that will captivate the hearts of televiewers of all ages.

It’s the second team-up of Barbie Forteza and Derrick Monasterio who appeared earlier in the primetime drama “Luna Blanca.”

“While I find it easier now to team up with Derrick, I do not just take it for granted, because our roles in ‘Paroa’ offer new challenges which I have to confront, also with new approaches,” Barbie explained.

On his own, Derrick said that his love-team with Barbie is all love-team. “Nothing goes beyond that,” he stressed.

Derrick added that his focus is simply on the project.

Barbie plays the role of a butterfly teenage girl in a fantasy butterfly kingdom known as Paroa.

Like a butterfly which metamorphosed from an egg to caterpillar, then to a pupa until it broke from its cocoon to a beautiful butterfly, that should have been the life of Mariposa, but it is surrounded with pain and ordeals.

The fantasy kingdom is destroyed, and Mariposa (Barbie) is separated from the tribe.

A kindly woman, Amalia (Agot), takes care of Mariposa as if she is her own daughter, though her skin is like that of a “higad.” And even though, the people make fun of her.

Mariposa maintains a cheerful disposition, even when Iñigo, her high school classmate begins mocking her when his mother told him that it is because of the butterfly kingdom that his father was killed.

But like a butterfly, Mariposa soon transforms into a beautiful woman, and Iñigo is puzzled whether he can love this woman whom he initially despised.

“Paroa: Ang Kuwento ni Mariposa” is star-studded, with Joyce Ching as Becca, Miguel Tanfelix as Joko, Bianca Umali as Leah, Rita de Guzman as Lizzy, Ren Escano as Betty, and Agot as Amalia, with Alicia Mayer as Rosanna, Marilou Fernandez as Belen, Tanya Garcia as Aurora, Gino Dela Peña as Roman, and Marc Acueza as Desmond.

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‘On Freddie Roach’ On HBO

The six-episode all-new cinema-verite series entitled “On Freddie Roach,” which premiered last Oct. 29, goes on its second weekly episode tonight at 11 on HBO and at 10 p.m. on HBO HD. This HBO Original programming presentation is from renowned filmmaker and Emmy-nominee Peter Berg. It is a co-production of Film 33 and Atticus Entertainment.

The series tells the story of Freddie Roach who owns and operates the famed Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, where he has produced a host of world champions. This intensely personal look at the world-famous boxing trainer chronicles his life and career against the backdrop of Parkinson’s disease, an ailment very likely lined to his own boxing past.

Freddie Roach has an extensive amateur boxing background. He was under the tutelage of the legendary Hall of Fame trainer Eddie Futch, ending his professional boxing career in 1987 with a record of 41 wins and 13 losses. In 1992, Mickey Rourke financed Roach’s first gym, the Outlaw Boxing Club. He has gone to train more than 20 world champions, including Manny Pacquiao, Amir Khan, Oscar de la Hoya and Mike Tyson.

Roach has been honored five times as “Trainer of the Year” by the Boxing Writers Association of America and has been inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame. On Dec. 6, 2011, he was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

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Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings today, Nov. 5, go to MTRCB Chairman Maning Borlaza, Bong Osorio, head of ABS-CBN Corporate Communication; Sec. Raul Gonzalez, Gabby Concepcion, Zandro Zamora, Mrs. Julie Benedicto, Marife Santos, Carol Nielsen, Thelma Paredes, Cherry E. Mojica, Arman Giron, Alexander P. Romero, Mon Chua, Dr. Aldrene Lee-Tan, Isabel D. Espejo, Quincie Joy Crisostomo, Marc P. Ventura of LA, Ma. Elena K. Bocalan, Ida F. Caalim, Belinda Zabala Valdecanas, Joy Isabel, Dr. Rudy Ante, Jomar D. Belen of CA, Mina Malinab-Martinez, Yugel Losorata and Dianne Medina of Star Magic…