Survivor Philippines

Survivor Philippines
Created by	Charlie Parsons
Directed by	Rico Gutierrez (2008 – 2012) Dante Nico Garcia (2011 – 2012) Monti Parungao (2008 – 2010) Martin Cabrera (2009)
Presented by	Richard Gutierrez (2010 – 2012) Paolo Bediones (2008 – 2009)
Theme music composer	Russ Landau Diwa de Leon
Country of origin	Philippines
Original language(s)	Filipino, English
No. of seasons	4
No. of episodes	269
Production
Executive producer(s)	Maria Carmela Torres (2011 – 2012) Kernan Gatbonton (2010) Donnaliza Medina (2008 – 2009)
Running time	30-45 minutes
Production company(s)	GMA News and Public Affairs
Broadcast
Original channel	GMA Network
Original run	September 15, 2008 – February 19, 2012
Chronology
Related shows	Expedition Robinson Survivor
External links
Website

Survivor Philippines is the Philippine version of the television series Survivor, which was originally based from the show, Expedition Robinson created in 1997 by Charlie Parsons. The series premiered on September 15, 2008 on GMA Network. The show is currently hosted by Richard Gutierrez. The first two seasons were hosted by Paolo Bediones. It is aired by GMA Network on weekday nights during the primetime Telebabad timeslot. Since season 2, it is shown internationally through GMA Pinoy TV except in North America, due to Castaway Television's contract with CBS that prevents other countries' versions of the series to be aired in that region.^[1]

Like many of its counterparts, the show has a set number of contestants stranded on an isolated area for a pre-determined number of days until one remains and is given the title Pinoy Sole Survivor (Celebrity Sole Survivor for the celebrity editions). Aside from the title, the winner also receives P3,000,000 (around US$65,000), the largest ever cash prize in the history of Philippine reality game shows.

The show's tagline is "Pautakan, Pagalingan, Patatagan", the Filipino translation of the U.S. version's "Outwit, Outplay, Outlast". The show, in general, refers their fans as a "Katribo", which means "tribemate" in English.

Format

In the game, a number of contestants, referred in the show as the castaways, are split into tribes and assigned separate camps at the filming's location, typically a tropical setting. As a tribe, the castaways must survive the elements, construct shelter, build fire, look for water, and scrounge for food and other necessities for the entire filming period, around 39 days (36 in recent celebrity seasons). In the first half of the game, the tribes face off in challenges, some for rewards of food, shelter, or luxury items, while others are for immunity, preventing the winning tribe from having to go to the next Tribal Council. Tribes that do go to Tribal Council discuss the events of the last few days with the host asking questions, and then must vote out one of their own players, eliminating them from the game.

In the second half of the game, the tribes are merged into a single tribe. Challenges are played at an individual level for individual rewards and immunity. At subsequent Tribal Councils, those eliminated start to form the jury, who sit in on all subsequent Tribal Councils but otherwise do not participate. When only two or three castaways remain, those castaways attend a final Tribal Council, where the jury is given the opportunity to ask them questions. After this, the jury members then vote to decide which of the remaining castaways should be declared Sole Survivor.

Seasons

Season details

There have been four seasons of the show:

• The first season took place in Ko Tarutao, Thailand, the same island where Survivor: Thailand was shot, from July to August 2008. Auditions were held in six Philippine cities in May 2008.^[2] Sixteen contestants were initially chosen, but the number was increased to 18 as producers felt the original number would not be enough to satisfy the diversity of personalities to be involved.^[3] The show aired for 13 weeks from September to December 2008. The winner was John Carlo "JC" Tiuseco, a model, student and basketball player from Manila.

• The second season was announced by GMA on February 2009 with nine audition venues in eight cities announced to be held in March 2009.^[4][5] The season, later known as Survivor Philippines: Palau, started airing on August 17 of the same year. It took place in the island of Peleliu^[6] in the said country^[7] with 16 castaways taking part. The show also aired for 13 weeks from August to November 2009. The winner was Amanda Coolley Van Cooll, a construction worker from Mindoro.

• The third season premiered on August 30, 2010. GMA Network has tapped actor Richard Gutierrez to replace Paolo Bediones, who transferred to TV5 a few months after the second season ended. The season, entitled Survivor Philippines: Celebrity Showdown, involved celebrities, which explains the lack of audition dates.^[8] It took place in an island in Ranong Province, Thailand. The winner was Akihiro Sato, a Brazilian-Japanese model and TV actor.

• A fourth season was announced early August 2011. It was initially revealed to be the second celebrity season in the local franchise with Richard Gutierrez reprising his hosting role.^[9] Later to be known as Survivor Philippines: Celebrity Doubles Showdown, the fourth season involves celebrities grouped as couples with preexisting relationships.^[10][11] The show was filmed in an island in San Vicente, Palawan for 36 days. It was the first time that the show was shot entirely within the Philippine territory. The show premiered on November 14, 2011. The winner was Albert "Betong" Sumaya, Jr., a comedian and TV host.

Season summary

Deviations

1

2

3

4

Locations of Survivor Philippines. Seasons are represented accordingly by numbers.

While the show was aired on a daily basis rather than once a week, all elements of the Survivor franchise were otherwise present. The show uses the theme music for the British version composed by Russ Landau, who made the Ancient Voices series of theme scores for the American version. It has further been re-arranged and added with tribal and ethnic flavors by local Filipino composer Diwa de Leon and chant vocals were performed by Evan Britanico.^[12][13]

One unique difference in this franchise is in the status of castaways who are evacuated to the hospital nearest to the setting of the game. Instead of being declared as eliminated at the point of evacuation, a castaway being sent to the hospital due to apparent injury or ailment is reminded to return to the game within 24 hours; otherwise, they are officially declared as eliminated from the game. One exception was with Survivor Philippines: Celebrity Doubles Showdown castaway, Stef Prescott, who had been brought to a hospital in Manila after she was bitten by a Philippine cobra at Bulan camp. She was on treatment and observation for two days. Throughout the two day absence from the game, she missed the actual Tribal Shuffle twist, a Tribal Immunity Challenge, and a Tribal Council. She came back on Day 13. Of the eight castaways across four seasons so far who were sent to the hospital with this reminder, all returned to the game, with one (Niña Ortiz from the first season) deciding to leave soon after her return from the hospital due to injury.

Another deviation in this franchise is the choice of the merge name, which is done beforehand by the producers. The merged tribe's name normally follows the naming pattern of those of the initial competing tribes. Many other Survivor versions usually let members of the new merged tribe make up their new tribal name.

In another deviation, the reunion specials were pre-recorded and were aired in the first Sunday after the final results were announced, which commonly happened in Fridays. One exception was with the reunion special of the fourth season, to be aired in the second Sunday after the live finale. In the American editions, the reunion special is usually aired live immediately after the final results are announced.

Television ratings

Television ratings are gathered from two major sources, namely from AGB Nielsen Philippines and Kantar Media–TNS. AGB Nielsen Philippines covers Mega Manila only, while Kantar Media–TNS covers most of the Philippines.

Awards and recognitions

References

External links

• Official Survivor Philippines Website
• Official Fanzila Homepage of Survivor Philippines
• Survivor Philippines at the Internet Movie Database