Survivor Philippines: Season 1

Survivor Philippines
Season 1

Audition

Fan
Quotes

Guesting on
QTV: QuickFire

Season 1
Episode 1

Survivor Philippines

Weeknights Sep 15 - Dec 14, 2008 GMA 7

Oct 24, 2008 (taping date)
Nov 4, 2008 (airing date)

QTV MOMS

Guests: Survivor Castaways Gigit, Niña, Patani and Chev

Location : GMA Network, Quezon City, Philippines

Emotional Roller Coaster Ride
When I was informed by GMA that 4 castaways were slotted for the taping of QTV Moms, I thought it would be interesting to be interviewed by mothers about the island experience, and to be viewed by mothers, mostly homemakers. I could only speculate that the slant will not be on adrenaline exploits but more on the emotional roller coaster ride. To make it more interesting, I'll be the lone guy as I will be joined by 3 female castaways - Chev, Patani and Niña.

full-cast shot

Lory Cipriano
Backstage, I had a great time talking to one of the guests, Lory Cipriano, a pastoral minister in family and counseling. She was to talk about parenting, family and sexuality. I wasn't surprised at all to find common ground with her thinking and experience. We were joined by another celebrity in the discussion, but her name escapes me.

Stef
Likewise, I had a candid chat about the 'ropes' in showbiz with another celebrity, Stef. She had her start at Star Talk and now enjoys her own show. Young, beautiful and driven, she'll be going places.

Survivor Friendship?
I don't remember much about the questions asked except the feeling that my answers were too pointed, too cold and too harsh. I was aware of my predicament, but could do little to soften it up. I remember being asked what friendship we developed on the island. While the 3 ladies named names, I couldn't. I viewed the other castaways as colleagues I had to work with in order to get the job done - enhancing camp life, winning challenges. etc. Besides, Survivor Philippines, by its very nature (deception, betrayal, sell-out) is not the event to be in search of a lifelong friend.

No Comment
Another question was asked, "When you left Manila to be away for 39 days on an isolated island, who did you leave behind?". The question was designed to be a tear-jerker. Niña almost bawled out while talking about her kids. I begged off and passed the mic to the next castaway. I think it was Sherilyn who remarked, "...Direk, ayaw sagutin". It's not for lack of an answer but I felt that my answer would have been insensitively harsh...a sharp departure from what the others were saying.

The People I Have Yet to Meet
Let me answer the question here. I'd been nomadic the last 4 years of my life...just me, my backpack and the open road. So, the concept of leaving someone behind is alien. However, to the extent I'll be leaving anyone behind, it would be the people I have yet to meet (admittedly, I find this too ironic). As I go on with my journey, I'll invariably be drifting into people's orbit. Human connection will be forged and magical moments may happen. However, at some point, I will have to move on, consequently leaving them behind. With nursing mothers watching the show, I deemed the answer, no matter how honest, to be too abrasive...even arrogant. Or in Chef Rosebud's parlance, nosebleed!

Wiping the Surgical Smile
The taping ended as quickly as it started...no time to linger around for small talk as the set was being cleared for another episode. People began to wipe off the make-up and the surgical smile. In all honesty, mine was as genuine as it came. I enjoyed my time there. It was a party for me. Maybe I enjoyed it too much.

My Beef?
Getting additional information on this show was tough. The QTV site has nothing to offer, Multiply has no account of it, Google only led me to individual blogs. As much as I'd like to promote the show with banners and graphics, there's no material I could source out on the 'net.

Ending Thoughts
So far, I'm enjoying showbiz. I get to hobnob with the stars, get famous for 15 minutes, get treated like celebrity and sometimes, even get paid (sometimes it's a loot bag full of goodies). I'm still at a point when I can still say 'no' if I want out. I'm not eaten alive yet...ha-ha. I don't know at what point all this gets old, but in the here-and-now, it's all good.

--- Gigit (TheLoneRider)
YOGA by Gigit | Learn English | Travel like a Nomad | Donation Bank

Manilyn Reynes, Lani Mercado and Sherilyn Reyes

Castaways Nina, Patani and Gigit. Where's Chev?

Hostess and Castaways: Sherilyn Reyes, Gigit, Niña, Patani, Lani Mercado, Manilyn Reynes and Chev Macias

What can I say? Sherilyn is incredibly beautiful

MOMS Show Schedule on QTV Channel 11

daily from 5-6 pm in QTV Channel 11

Related Links:

Derdo’s Weblog: MOMS 4 November 2008
Cyndy's Journal of Clandestine: Hello Moms - QTV 11

Reader Comments:

Derdo (from: QTV's MOMS)
(November 4, 2008) Watching Moms on QTV now and the guests are Survivor Philippines finalists.... Suffice it to say that two of them are truly impressive. One is a lady who's very articulate (Nina Ortiz?), the other is web designer cum free spirit Gigit Sulit. Very, very articulate. When he starts talking, you have to listen. His message, his choice of words, his ideas - you can put him with the greatest minds and you'll be happy you did. He has brains, presence, the works. If life were a movie, he'd be one of the brains calling the shots in it. The wheelchair guy in X-Men, for example, etc. You get the drift. He can shift from Tagalog to English and vice versa with ease. his diction is very good. Won't be surprised if he makes a career on TV, no not as an actor but maybe as an anchor, a broadcast journalist or something. GMA grab him before anyone else does.

Derdo
"I viewed the other castaways as colleagues I had to work with in order to get the job done - enhancing camp life, winning challenges. etc. Besides, Survivor Philippines, by its very nature (deception, betrayal, sell-out) is not the event to be in search of a lifelong friend." -- Gigit

(Nov 28, 2008) I guess that's why you stood out for me: you were straightforward, forthright. Trabaho lang, walang personalan. Sometimes people impute too much in things, things become too contrived. Friends happen. Deliberately looking for them can be frustrating.

"The question was designed to be a tear-jerker. Niña almost balled out while talking about her kids. I begged off and passed the mic to the next castaway.....It's not for lack of an answer but I felt that my answer would have been insensitively harsh...a sharp departure from what the others were saying." -- Gigit

(Nov 28, 2008) This is one thing that turns me off about many of our TV shows/hosts. they want to make people cry by asking questions they expect will lead to tears. Again, that you avoided saying anything- that's sincerity on your part. Why mouth platitudes you don't mean?

"People began to wipe off the make-up and the surgical smile. In all honesty, mine was as genuine as it came. I enjoyed my time there. It was a party for me. Maybe I enjoyed it too much." -- Gigit

(Nov 28, 2008) That's a nice term for it "Surgical smile". I refer to such as "nakaka-lockjaw." Plastic. Your countenance is relaxed, nothing contrived there.

And finally, your comment re the QTV site and multiply and the absence of anything on the shows in both: it frustrates me. Like why can't they do a Rosebud and set up sites on their program? That would increase viewership and allow people to enjoy the show, then just look up details missed in the website, right? Maybe GMA should also hire you in that capacity: as a web consultant?

QTV: QuickFire

(Nov 9, 2008) As a perk to being a Survivor Philippines castaway, I was invited to guest in a tv cookshow, QTV's QuickFire. When I met the host, Chef Rosebud, I was Wowed. She's a looker! A beautiful mom who can cook! I got hungry.....more »»

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Survivor Philippines Season 1

QTV MOMS

QTV: QuickFire

Survivor Philippines
Season 1