Life in Quiapo is no walk in the park, but Marites (Cherry Pie Picache) hit the jackpot with a friend like Roda (Joel Lamangan)! From his not-so-humble beginnings as a selfish schemer, Roda has evolved into the ultimate 'frenny' goals–generous, dependable, trustworthy, and always armed with the best life advice. And let’s not forget his natural humor, which is the perfect antidote to life's hardships. Seriously, who wouldn’t want a friend who’s equal parts adviser and comedian?

Check out this Kapamilya Toplist of scenes from “FPJ's Batang Quiapo” that prove Roda is the 'frenny' we all need in our lives!

Roda may have had his fair share of flaws, but his hirits are just on-point. Whether he’s tossing a perfectly timed punchline or slyly roasting someone, no scene with him is ever dull. Who wouldn’t want a friend who can turn even the most stressful moments into laugh-out-loud memories?

Take the time he was finding a new place to stay. After having a rift with Marites' family, he thought it was a great idea to ask her for help, and he even called her “friend.” He quipped, “’Pag pinatuloy mo ako sa inyo, quits na tayo. Si Rigor nag-bring ng kibetsing, ikaw naman, bring ka naman ng friend.” Even Marites couldn’t help but laugh at his clever humor.

In another scene, Marites, as usual, found herself in hot water with her husband Rigor (John Estrada), who was furious with their eldest son Tanggol (Coco Martin) after their house was shot up by unknown men.

Roda, always the voice of reason, backed Marites’ belief that Tanggol couldn’t possibly be behind such an act. To get to the bottom of things, he suggested that Marites go find and talk to Tanggol herself. But just when the conversation was getting serious, Roda couldn’t help but throw in his signature humor. “Totoo ang tsismis, shunga ka! Hindi mo magagawa 'yun. Mission impossible!” he quipped when Marites said she would search every bar in Manila to find out where Tanggol was working.

He gives the best advice by mixing wisdom with entertaining commentary. Take, for instance, when everyone, especially Rigor, was questioning Marites’ abilities and morals as a mother. Roda was the only person who gave Marites comfort, telling her that no one should ever doubt her as a good mom because the truth is, it’s Rigor who’s at fault. Just when you’re getting serious listening to the conversation, Roda slips in a slight joke, saying that although Marites can be a bit ‘shunga’ as a submissive wife, no one can criticize her mothering skills.

When Marites replied that she made many mistakes raising Tanggol, who’s considered the black sheep of the family, Roda’s opinion was both amusing and spot-on. He said, “Napaka-challenging na kasi alagaan n’yang anak mong si Tanggol. Kaya siguro ikaw ang naging Nanay dahil alam ng mundo kung gaano ka katibay na ina.”

Whenever Marites feels overwhelmed with her problems, Roda is always there to give her a hand. One of the most practical lessons he shared with her was, "Talagang magulo ang buhay pero may say naman tayo sa kung ano'ng gusto nating gawin. Meron tayong free will, gamitin natin 'yun. Kung nabibigatan ka, bitawan mo. Kung nangangakay ka, mag-iba ka ng pwesto." Impressed, Marites replied, "Kahit ganyan ka, minsan may pagkakataon na matino rin mga sinasabi mo," which prompted Roda to joke that opposites really do attract because he's the smart one, while Marites is definitely the certified ‘shunga.’

What we love about Roda as an ‘adviser’ is his knack for dropping insightful guidance that feels more like a casual chat than a lecture, making even the heaviest topics feel lighthearted. When Marites was haunted by her past and wanted to run away from it, Roda was the only one who truly understood her. He told her that running from her problems wasn’t the solution. “Ano ka? Olympic runner ka ba? Dapat ang gawin mo, harapin at banggahin mo lahat ng bagay na gumugulo d’yan sa buhay mo,” he said, firing off his words like a machine gun. Then, in a softer tone, he gently asked, “Understand?”

In another scene, Roda noticed that Marites seemed to be carrying a heavy burden, so he kept urging her to open up. With sincerity, he encouraged her to lighten her heart by sharing her troubles and reminder her that they are true friends, and that’s what friends are for. It was one of those moments that made us go “aww” because Roda wasn’t just being funny—he was genuinely looking out for his ‘frenny.’

And then, he played the role of a fairy godmother in an episode when he brought out Marites’ hidden

beauty by giving her a full makeover for Rigor’s pinning ceremony after his promotion to a higher rank. His words were both entertaining and sharp as he cheered Marites on to fight for herself and get dolled up to win Rigor back from his mistress, Lena (Mercedes Cabral).

Good thing Roda’s around because without him, Marites would’ve probably drowned in worry when her youngest son, Santino (Ronwaldo Martin), suddenly left home. She feared that it would trigger more problems, like angering Rigor, or even worse, Santino running away for good. In that moment, Roda calmly reminded her that sometimes, people just need space to breathe and reflect. He assured her that maybe that’s exactly what Santino was doing. And in that way, he gave her the peace of mind she so badly needed.

Then came one of his most insightful talks, reminding Marites that just because she’s a mother doesn’t mean every decision she makes is right, or that her suspicions about Tanggol are justified. He told her she needed to open her heart to her son. Roda’s approach was so sincere and empathetic, and it really hit home when he said that he wasn’t going to dig into the source of Marites’ negative feelings toward Tanggol. Instead, he just wanted to remind her that, like her, Tanggol isn’t perfect either. “Isa lang talaga ang maipapayo ko, buksan mo ang sarili mo. Kung may taong nakagawa ng mali sa'yo at gustong humingi ng tawad at ituwid ang pagkaamali niya, pakinggan mo,” Roda emphasized.

Roda is the kind of friend who proves that humor and heart can go hand in hand. If you ask us who our current favorite character is in “FPJ’s Batang Quiapo,” the answer is definitely him!

We all want more 'Roda' moments in the series, right?