Choosing the Pinoy Survivors

GMA Network's Survivor Philippines (SP) staged national auditions allegorical to the phrase "survival of the fittest."

More than 40,000 applicants showed up across six audition areas in the country.

They were all vying for the rare opportunity to become part of the first Philippine edition of the worldwide hit reality series.

There was an outright exercise of strategic wit in the neck-to-neck fight among the castaway hopefuls.

Some took the heart to sleep on layers of cartons near audition halls the night before.

Some traveled a three-hour distance to get to audition areas in the provinces.

Veteran TV host Paolo Bediones, who will host this huge Public Affairs offering, said that SP looks for aggressive and assertive personalities who can spell interest for the show.

In one of the auditions, a 59-year-old man outshined his competitors for being a gym buff despite his age. His proportions are deemed fit for the challenges.

There was also a woman in her 40?s, who was perverse enough to still do cartwheels.

But what really makes an applicant a potential survivor? Program Manager Neil Gumban said that they held several levels of interviews, plus a series of psychological and physical exams to arrive at the shortlist.

"We formed a screening committee to handpick the castaways. The final list was formed based on interviews and exams. We also took into consideration the group's personality mix," Gumban said.

The producers know how crucial it is to determine the castaways who will become the main storytellers for SP.

Gumban said SP mix promises an interesting cohort of brains and brawns, and an epithet to play the tricks of this strategy-bound television contest.

The personalities of the first castaways of Pinoy survivors remain yet elusive until SP finally hit the airwaves in September.

Will romance conspire in the fixture of individuals who are total strangers to one another?

Will deceit take precedence over alliance?

Who will be Richard Hatch's Pinoy counterpart?

How will the Pinoy castaways play the ultimate game of survival on national television?

All new uniquely Pinoy elements are expected from this international franchise, as the bulk of challenges and set design are patterned after the Pinoy blueprint.

Survivor Philippines unveils on primetime this September over GMA Network.