Paolo Bediones talks about "Survivor Philippines 2"

CEBU, Philippines - Still basking in the afterglow of a successful first season, “Survivor Philippines” now gears up for its second edition with nationwide try-outs for possible castaways who can outplay, outwit, and outlast the competition.

And it still has a P3 million purse—the biggest prize at stake in any local reality TV program—and still has its host Paolo Bediones “badly” wanting it to work again so much it spawns a Season 3 (as well as a season 4, 5, 6 and so on… like its international predecessor). When The FREEMAN Entertainment had a chat with him during the Cebu auditions last week, Paolo offered quite a teaser on what viewers and devotees are going to expect from the second season. 

The FREEMAN: What kinds of castaways are you hoping to see in the second season?

Paolo Bediones: Ang hope ko for this coming season is that the crop of castaways will gonna get focused on strategy rather than getting on the good graces of people. JC Tiuseco was a worthy winner naman. He showed leadership, maturity, and he knew how to sacrifice the fight for another, although may kapalit yun kasi nagkautang loob yung mga tao sa kanya. So very interesting yung ginawa ni JC. Still, I want this second season to be more cutthroat in terms of strategy on whether how to stay or keep others away since it’s more exciting to watch. We want people from all walks of life kasi pag-ganun, may mga hindi nagkakasundo at nag-a-away, and not just people who are trying to get along with everybody.  

TF: Meaning to say, we’re expecting more “Marlons” this year? (Marlon Carmen was dubbed as last season’s bad boy and ultimate schemer.)

PB: The addition of Marlon was both a stroke of genius and luck. He was not even part of the Top 32. But during the tail-end of the deliberations, we realized that wala pala kaming kontrabida; si Rob lang. It was a big risk that we took because just imagine, if he got eliminated early on because his fellow castaways didn’t like him, then the show would all be roses. And frankly the guy has man boobs, but still he was, not naman visually appealing, but watchable. In the end he turned out to be an asset of the show, and before the end of the shooting, we knew we made the right decision. Still, I wouldn’t say we’re getting someone like Marlon kasi parang ginawa natin caricature. We just want people who are comfortable with their personality, who’d hang it all and are really strong-willed. These are individuals who’d last long in the game.

TF: How are the auditions for potential castaways doing so far?

PB: I don’t think we’re gonna do more than the turnout that we were able to generate last year because people had seen the show already, and they now know that we mean business. Magugutom ka, mahihirapan ka—it’s going to be tough living in an island. Still, the auditions have been really good despite certain moves by whatever (Did Paolo mean ABS-CBN which coincided the Pinoy Dream Academy and Pinoy Big Brother auditions with that of Survivor Philippines?). Cebu, for one, has been very consistent in terms of volume, and now, ang daming dayo, may galing Leyte, Iloilo and even Manila for some reason. I’m predicting now that about 400 will make it to the national finals, then it will be cut down to 70, then the deliberations will begin as to we want will make it to next batch of castaways.

TF: Looking back, do you think Survivor Philippines would have fared better if there was no spoiler? (JC’s name was already leaked out as the winner during the first few episodes of the show.)

PB: We were not affected, not at all. At the end of the day, it sill benefited us. So thank you sa nagkalat, they drummed interest for the show. I think the ratings really proved the reception of the people.

TF: If last season introduced innovations (i.e. the “cursed” black pearl, the white pearl for hidden immunity, the double elimination, and so on) what are we going to expect for this second season?

PB: We’re gonna inject more humor and more tongue-in-cheek stuff. If last time, we were limited to the tried and tested challenges of Survivor; this season, we are allowed to conceptualize the challenges. Last season, we wanted viewers to learn the basics, now it’s going to be more. There’s a major twist that we’re going to include that will tell the difference between the castaway staying and leaving. After Koh Tarutao of Thailand, I’m excited about the next location. All I’m saying it’s an island on planet earth. Well, we’ve fantasized about going to South Africa, but it’s too expensive, di talaga kaya even if we already downsized the staff. Nevertheless, where we’re going to is pretty stunning, visually. Have I ever been there? Well, if I say yes, giveaway na yun. Secret na lang muna.