| Kumander Bawang: Kalaban ng Mga Aswang | |
| Director: | Ramje |
| Producer: | Ramon Salvador |
| Story: | Jojo Lapuz |
| Starring: | Herbert Bautista |
| Music: | Mon del Rosario |
| Cinematography: | Rody Lacap |
| Editing: | Augusto Salvador |
| Studio: | Viva Films |
| Country: | Philippines |
| Language: | Filipino |
Kumander Bawang: Kalaban ng Mga Aswang, or simply Kumander Bawang, is a 1988 Filipino fantasy comedy film directed by Ramje and starring Herbert Bautista as the titular character, alongside Mat Ranillo III, Matet, Mia Prats, Timmy Cruz, Jigo Garcia, Jay Jay Salvador, Vina Morales, Joko Diaz, and Ronald Jayme. Produced by Viva Films, the film was released in theaters on September 29, 1988. Critic Lav Diaz gave Kumander Bawang a negative review, criticizing the film's stale and cliché comedy.
Bautista later reprised the role of Kumander Bawang in the 2006 fantaserye Super Inggo.[1] He has a son named Boy Bawang in Super Inggo.[2]
Tikboy is a moro-moro performer who wanders into the woods to take a dump during a performance. After being waylaid by numerous creatures, he meets a hermit who tells him of his destiny as the latest incarnation of Kumander Bawang, a superhero who fights aswangs led by Conde Regalado, who has risen after decades of slumber to wreak havoc on the living. To do so, he retrieves the necklace that activates Kumander Bawang's powers from a half-aswang girl, then proceeds to kill Regalado and the aswangs by hurling explosive garlic at them, while Tikboy's grandfather, Lolo Ambo, incites the townspeople to burn down the Regalado mansion.
The music of Kumander Bawang and the music of Buy One, Take One were released together by Viva Records in one album titled Kumander Bawang: Kalaban ng Aswang/Buy One, Take One: Viva Films Original Movie Soundtrack.[4]
Lav Diaz, writing for the Manila Standard, gave a negative review of the film for its cliché and stale comedy, noting that it is due to it being geared towards children. He commended, however, the engaging plotline involving Berting Labra's grandfather character struggling to keep the moro-moro stage tradition alive.[3]