The original hosts of “ASAP” (from left) are Pops Fernandez, Martin Nievera, Dayanara Torres, and Ariel Rivera. Image: Instagram/@martinnievera
Martin Nievera and Puerto Rican actress and beauty queen Dayanara Torres took a trip down memory lane about their early days hosting the longest-running Sunday noontime variety show on Philippine television, “ASAP,” three decades ago.
Nievera shared an old photo of him and his fellow original hosts, Torres, Pops Fernandez, and Ariel Rivera, on Instagram, reflecting on the experience of being part of the show.
“Thirty years ago today, ASAP was born! We had no social media, no teleprompters, not even our own studio. We had to shoot every episode from a theater called the Delta Theater, where we all shared one dressing room,” reminisced the singer.
Nievera, who’s also celebrating his birthday alongside the show, took pride in the legacy that “ASAP” has established over the years.
“ASAP has always been and will always be about family. Our Kapamilya started with these four faces, and 30 years later we have grown bigger and bigger, and together we have weathered every storm to have survived this long,” he stated.
“The rest, as they say, is history. It is such a special fun fact for me to always celebrate my birthday on the same day as the birthday of my favorite All Star Sunday Afternoon Party! Happy birthday ASAP! Let’s grow old together,” continued the singer.
Meanwhile, in a separate post, Torres credited the show for jumpstarting her career, as she called the Philippines her “second home.”
“Happy 30th Anniversary ASAP! Thirty years of history, laughter, music, dance and unforgettable moments. This show not only marked my career but also my heart. Thank you, Philippines, for so much love and for being my second home!” she wrote.
After winning the Miss Universe crown in 1993, Torres lived in the Philippines for five years and landed movie roles, television appearances, and endorsements.
Torres was regarded as the “Dancing Queen” during her stint at “ASAP,” given her “Sayaw Nara” segment.
In 2017, the beauty queen returned to the Philippines to serve as one of the judges for the 65th Miss Universe pageant.