One big lesson on survival

Would you want to become a Pinoy Big Brother housemate? Easy to answer on the surface but think again! Every single move is captured by a camera 24 hours. How’s that for a life? Last week, I asked three former housemates, Gretchen Malalad, Aleck Bovick and Roxanne Barcelo what they thought about the Confession Room. It’s weird, said Gege, Gretchen’s nickname. "Ibang klase," chorused Aleck and Roxanne. Indeed, there is something weird inside that Confession Room. We’ve seen housemates, however brave, tough and strong breakdown unabashedly like innocent toddlers whose toys have been taken away.

I have had the chance to sit inside the Confession Room when I did an interview with Kuya for last season’s PBB documentation. There was an eerie feeling about it. It was as if there were a thousand eyes scattered around the walls of that room. But the Confession Room is much more tame than Room 101 where it was based. Big Brother was taken from George Orwell’s famous satirical novel titled 1984. It is about the author’s loathing of an autocratic system of government and his fears about an intrusively bureaucratized state of the future. An omnipresent Big Brother watches every citizen – within and outside the party in a fictional state called Oceania. A man suspect of going against the state is subjected to reorientation, interrogation and brainwashing.

But unlike Orwell’s novel where Big Brother is cruel, ruthless and evil, Pinoy Big Brother is gentle, sympathetic, kind and a shoulder to cry on. A housemate can even go against his orders without being annihilated. Remember Kumander Nene when she made that famous emotional outburst? "Hindi namin pwedeng sundin lahat ng utos mo lalo na pag alam naming mali." That earned Nene points from the public.

Pasaway housemate Franzen Fajardo even engaged Big Brother in a psychological war! And lately, we have seen Keanna Reeves who tested Big Brother’s patience by dilly-dallying on her assigned task to discover what’s inside Budoy’s carefully wrapped head. In PBB, you can answer back Kuya without fear of being banished to the fires of hell. There are even times when it’s Kuya who gets hurt and makes tampo with some housemates.

"Kuya is an authority figure for me," declared Gege. Roxanne trusted Kuya. "No questions asked. I just followed him." But Aleck was more playful with Kuya. "Di ako natakot sa kanya."

And inside Pinoy Big Brother’s house, a housemate can fall in and out of love. Falling in love is not forbidden. In 1984, lead character Winston Smith falls for Julia and they would rendezvous in a place they thought was beyond surveillance from Big Brother. But nothing happens without Big Brother’s knowledge. Winston is apprehended by the Thought Police and interrogated in Room 101. It is in this book where the saying "Big Brother is watching you" originated.

The whole country has seen how Say and JB "fell in love." We were witness to their romance. But some good things never last. Say and JB’s "love story" ended when Say was evicted. And what did Big Brother do? With his omnipotent powers, Pinoy Big Brother sought the presence of the two warring parties, stood as middle man, pacified them both and acted as a " love referee." Say and JB are on talking terms again. But that is how Pinoy, Pinoy Big Brother is. Unlike Orwell’s Big Brother, this one is a pacifist.

Intrinsic Pinoy values come to the fore in Pinoy Big Brother. Ask any housemate why he joined the show and he would say, "gusto kong makatulong sa aking pamilya." Aleck shaved her hair for the sake of her father and sick children. Rico did the same and the money? He gave it to Mich’s yaya who had problems with her eyes.

Even skeptics who are not wont to believe friendships can be forged inside Big Brother’s house have also been proven wrong. Roxanne, Gege and Aleck have formed a kind of bonding only women know. Same with former housemates Cass Ponti, Say Alonzo, Racquel Reyes, among others. But would they want to go back to Big Brother’s house and be housemates again? Gege says yes. Aleck on the other hand, says she has to condition her mind a hundred percent and Roxanne? "Yes. It was a crash course on the real world."

Pinoy Big Brother is one big lesson on survival. And most of the housemates come out of Kuya’s house with lessons learned, wiser and most importantly, stronger people who have discovered friends and themselves.

Gospel Revolution Festival

The Philippine Children’s Fund is staging the Gospel Revolution Festival. The festival aims to provide an alternative venue for young and promising unknown local artists through gospel music. It also seeks to showcase independent bands for their excellent talent. Some guidelines to those who want to join the festival: You must be an independent artist and have not had national exposure or distribution. Bands must be suitable for general audiences. They must submit a sample of a live band recording on CD or cassette tape plus lyrics of the song either in English or Tagalog; band information, photo and biography of the group. Any genre or musical style will be accepted. Screening and elimination will be held in Pampanga, Tarlac, Dagupan, Baguio, Bulacan, Laguna and Manila.

For inquiries call (045) 625-6696 to 98 or e-mail [email protected]