Thousands vie for gameshow slots

"Wowowee!"

About 30,000 people from all over Visayas and Mindanao gathered at the lagoon area of the Ayala Center Cebu as early as the other day hoping to get a once in a lifetime opportunity of becoming a millionaire in an early afternoon gameshow.

ABS-CBN's Wowowee, hosted by Willie Revillame, is scheduled to do a live show tomorrow yet, but hopefuls from as far as Samar and Davao, packed their bags and came to Cebu as early as Wednesday morning to try their luck and be chosen as one of the contestants.

Battling the cold of the night, the heat of the morning sun and exhaustion, the hopefuls braved all the odds even if it meant sleeping on the sidewalks just to get to the registration venue ahead of the others.

Not even a bomb threat, that turned out a hoax, at about 5 pm caused the people to fall out of line although the registration was halted for a while as authorities checked on the threat.

Ironically of the 30,000 people who showed up, only 50 will be chosen to take part in the game show's most popular segment 'Pera o Bayong' tomorrow.

The lucky 50 will be picked from all those who registered in a raffle format. Those who will get picked will not only get a chance to be seen on international television but can also win a windfall of cash.

As the cameras roll to signal the start of the game show tomorrow, only one of these 50 lucky players would emerge victorious.

Among the hopefuls is Porferia Macaspac who at the age of 72 did not mind the rigorous travel from Davao City, just to get to Cebu City hoping to participate in the game show.

Asked what drove her to take the trip, Manang Porferia's quick reply was that she hopes that she could join so that she could bid poverty goodbye.

Nieves Bumaya, on the other hand, arrived from Bohol at 11 am last Wednesday yet and decided to sleep at the sidewalk just so she would be among the first to register.

According to her as she arrived at the venue, there were already a lot of people who came ahead of her who like her hoped to take part in the Pera o Bayong segment.

"Namasin lang ko kay lisod gyud kaayo ang among kinabuhi," Bumaya shared.

Among the attention stealers yesterday was Benjie Pacaldo, a disabled beggar, who if not for his desire to take part in the game show, would have been outside the Lady of the Rule church in Lapu-Lapu City asking for alms.

"Basin pa lang swertehon ko akoy makadaug makapalit na ko og wheelchair," he said.

The registration started at 1 o'clock yesterday afternoon and was supposed to be until 4pm only but had to be extended until 7 because people just seem to keep on coming.

But while majority of those who showed up hope to win others wanted to join just to see the show's hosts and other stars who are expected to grace the event.

Aside from Willie and the three co-hosts Iya Villania, Kat Alano and Janelle Hammer, comedian Bentong and China would also be around plus surprise stars.

The stars are expected to arrive today and would have a mall tour in the afternoon. The show starts at 1 o'clock in the afternoon at the Ayala Center South Surface Parking Area. - Ryan P. Borinaga and Jasmin R. Uy