Understanding why Pinoys join contests

It has been a long practiced tradition for the Filipino to join competitions primarily the singing kind as a means of livelihood. It has gotten so that we have become known as the “Italians of Asia,” by virtue of our singing.

Internationally, we have produced a Lea Salonga, Monique Wilson, Charice, Arnel Pineda of Journey and apl.de.ap (Allan Pineda Lindo Jr.) of Black Eyed Peas. Countrywide there is Sharon Cuneta, Sarah Geronimo, Regine Velasquez, Aiza Seguerra, Basil Valdes, and so many others. And of course, there is Nora Aunor of Iriga, Camarines Sur who first made her name as a singer until her acting prowess overtook that of her singing.

Basically, our singers joined competitions in order to help the family, for daily needs and for schooling. Everyone is familiar with the story of Nora selling water on train stopovers, then joining Darigold Jamboree in Naga for P20 prize money for a sister’s tuition, becoming Tawag ng Tanghalan champion, after which the rest is history.

Of course, not everyone is a Nora Aunor, but the process of discovery is still the same. While watching the recent grand finals last Oct. 20 of nine families of the Bida Kapamilya on It’s Showtime, there was no question who the champion would be when all judges gave them a perfect 10 score and a standing ovation. The seven-strong Gollayan family of Santiago, Isabela, mentored by Robert Seña went home with the cash prize of P1M, a hefty amount to the family which had often experienced budget deficiencies. They turned to singing, joining competitions, not always winning, experiencing criticism, until this new mentor gave them hope.

The song-and-dance medley I Believe I Can Fly, Queen of the Night and Please Don’t Stop the Music had the jurors on their feet including hosts Vice Ganda and Jhong Hilario.

It’s Showtime’s Bida Kapamilya is actually not ABS-CBN’s principal talent search. It is Pilipinas Got Talent (PGT) based on the Got Talent franchise of Simon Cowell. So far, it has had three winners Jovit Baldivino, Marcelito Pomoy and the Maasinhon Trio, all singing acts. And like most contestants, they joined out of need to help the family. Before joining PGT, 16-year-old Jovit sold siomai in Padre Garcia, Batangas, and sung at birthday parties, practicing day in and out for his dream of joining the talent search, almost not making it to the auditions for lack of transportation money. So exceptional was his rendition that PGT resident judge Ai-Ai delas Alas was in tears, the YouTube video of his performance reached 1.5 million hits, and Jovit was famous. Today, he confesses, “Ang gusto ko lang naman ay matulungan ko ang pamilya ko.”

Meanwhile, rival network, GMA 7, had found its winning protégés in Jeric Gonzales and Thea Tolentino from South Luzon as the two newest Kapuso star male and female winners of Protégé: The Battle for the Big Artista Break last Oct. 21. Jeric and Thea, under mentors Gina Alajar and Jolina Magdangal, bested Ruru Madrid, Mikoy Morales, Zandra Summer and Elle Ramirez by each taking home P1-M cash, a condominium unit worth P7M and a management contract with GMA 7. Mentors Gina and Jolina each received P500,000. Dingdong Dantes and Jennylyn Mercado were admirable no nonsense hosts who went straight to the point without unnecessary palaboks.

Even if TV5 is the last network to join the reality game, we were already loyal followers of its talent show Talentadong Pinoy with simply talent as its only requirement for joining. We watched singers, dancers, a ventriloquist-puppeteer, yoyo tricker, a sand painter, acrobats, a pole dancer and so many others.   

TV5, the Kapatid network will be the last in the reality talent shows to unveil its winners on Oct. 27 when Artista Academy (AA) announces its Best Actor and Best Actress together with a largest of P20M worth of total prizes. Not only does AA have the largest pot, but it prides itself as being the only one that provides contestants with extensive curriculum-based training in a legitimate school — the Asian Academy of Television Arts (AATA). Similar to GMA’s Protégé, TV5’s AA has six finalists, three girls and three boys with a final boy and girl winning. The six are Akihiro Blanco, Mark Neumann, Vin Abrenica, Chanel Morales, Shaira Mae and Sophie Albert who already have been cast in lead roles of a forthcoming teleserye. Certainly beats going home with P20M prize money.

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