MANILA, Philippines ? Seven kids. Superb action sequences. Breathtaking stunts. Jaw-dropping effects. These are among the compelling reasons that explain why ABS-CBN?s ?Kung Fu Kids? has remained the network?s top rating program since its premiere on January 28.

Add to that people?s universal liking for anything ?kung fu,? and you?d understand how the program became an instant hit, not only among kids who would naturally identify with the cast members, but also among parents and elders who would surely enjoy the visual feast.

?Gusto ko po talagang mag-kung fu (I really like doing kung fu),? says Jairus Aquino, 9, who plays the leader Lembot, the pushover who later learns kung fu skills to protect himself and his loved ones. ?It was my dream role, and now it?s come true,? he says in Filipino. Jairus is widely-known for his action-fantasy exploits in ?Super Inggo,? ?Rounin,? ?Lastikman,? and the film ?Resiklo.?

Jarius? passion for the genre resonates with his fellow cast members, Kristoffer Dangculos, Joshua Dionisio, Andre Garcia, Jane Oineza, Eliza Pineda and Paul Salas. Their collective fervor for the martial arts has made them shoo-ins for their respective roles despite their previous associations with non-action portrayals.

Paul, 9, a graduate of GMA-7?s ?StarStruck Kids,? was so enamored of the role offered him that he bolted his former network to join ABS-CBN. This is his first Kapamilya project. ?I switched because of the role offered me,? Paul candidly admits. ?I?ve always longed for an action role, especially kung fu,? he adds, saying it was unthinkable for him to pass up the part of Uragon, the Kung Fu Kids leader, as the role reminds him of idols Jackie Chan and Jet Li.

The show not only mimics the high-flying acrobatics and powerful fight sequences of kung fu movies; it likewise gives justice to the genre?s legendary visual effects. ?Kung Fu Kids? employs motion capture effects in rendering characters, a first in Philippine television.

?That?s one of the biggest pluses of the show that has captured the viewers? interest,? says Joshua Dionisio, 13, a child actor who wowed audiences with his previous dramatic performances. ?What they?ve done behind the scenes is breathtaking and it shows in the final product,? adds Joshua, who portrays Jazz, a cunning boy who has the power to manipulate and control people. The show is a consistent top rater in AGB Nielsen?s Nationwide Urban Television Audience Measurement (NUTAM), or the market research firm?s ratings survey among panel homes in all urban centers in the Philippines.

The revelations in the series are the two girls in the group?Eliza Pineda, 12, and Jane Oineza, 11?both previously popular as dramatic princesses, now kicking and shoving with their fighting skills. Eliza is the most prominent in the pack, having portrayed the meaningful yet tragic life of ?Maria Flordeluna,? another ABS-CBN top-rater that hit the screens last year. Jane, on the other hand, touched audiences with her appearances in ?Prinsesa ng Banyera? and the 2004 TV phenomenon, ?Marina.?

Eliza was drawn to her role of Sarah, the extraordinary child with radar-like abilities and heightened aural sense, because the character triumphed over frailty and debility to emerge as a hero. ?The role enables me to showcase my other skills,? says the tall Eliza, who according to her on-screen partner, Joshua, beat him in a one-on-one basketball match.

Jane had initial reservations about her role and her fellow cast members, being the only one in the group who actually auditioned for the part, that of the spoiled and bratty mind-reader Moi. But she?s learned a lot from the group, she acknowledges. ?I also enjoy their company,? she says.

?Kung Fu Kids? has also become the launching pad of talented and promising child talents, who are starring in their breakthrough roles in their very young show biz careers.

Kristoffer Dangculos, 13, was among those eliminated early in the reality talent search ?Little Big Superstar? last year. Despite this setback, however, he remained hopeful that the big break would come. And it did, in the role of the ?Kung Fu Kids?? Benjo, a helpful, strong and street smart lad who is empowered with the ?sixth sense.?

?This is what I?ve always wanted to get, the role of a good-hearted lad,? says Kristoffer, in Filipino. Discipline was one thing he learned while playing the role, he reveals, adding that for his succeeding project, he wants nothing less than another action fantasy role.

The youngest in the group, and probably the most-talked about in the series, is Andre Garcia, 8, who plays the food-obsessed character Chubbs, Lembot?s best friend and sidekick. ?This is my dream role because I really like kung fu,? says Andre, showing his deep passion with a scar on his forehead, the result of an on-set accident.

As the current TV idols of children nationwide, these kids know the responsibility that their popularity brings. ?We know we?re role models so we must show them a good example,? stresses Jairus.

Like most showbiz personalities, the kids also reveal a strong sense of family responsibility despite their young age. ?I?m here because I want to help my family, that?s the most important thing for me right now,? says Joshua.

For Eliza, what matters most is the teamwork and discipline she?s learned on the set. ?Kapag sama-sama, kahit imposible pwedeng mangyari (if we work together, anything is possible),? she says.

But being kids, they see hard work as being actually fun. While they indeed spend long hours every Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for their tapings, the youngsters find time for play between takes, whether it?s chasing each other, sitting around with their PSPs, or skating at the SM Mall of Asia?s Olympic-sized rink after pack-up. Their acting time, they claim, revolves around their play time.

And well it should be. Because despite the sense of mission that they exhibit as onscreen heroes, the ?Kung Fu Kids?? biggest battle is still to enjoy their childhood amid the grown-up pressures that they encounter daily.