Video Beat EXTRA EXTRA - BIG BROTHER Teen Show Helps winner RISE FROM POVERTY

James Loving - National Radio Text Service

Ejay Falcon won by a narrow 32,818 votes over runner-up Robi Domingo, by receiving 620,934 votes (36.31%) to Domingo's 588,166 votes (34.39%) of the total 1,710,155 votes cast for the four finalists. - Recommended TV Listings

Monday June 16, 2008

Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition winner Ejay Falcon

When it comes to reality television shows for teens the Philippines Big Brother Teen Edition is doing a good job of giving something for the competitors to work for by presenting a something of substance for a prize. With the comparison being that in Cambodia the teens winners are receive nothing or prize lacking significant value as well as losing school time to compete thus they are in a lose, lose situation.

In Cambodia the winners are guaranteed nothing and are at the mercy of the producers. Without much of an education the teens don't know when they're being taken advantage of. With the added burden of many coming from poor families they are in a desperate situation to achieve and therein creating a problem that we will discuss in depth in a future column.

The second edition of Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition winner Ejay Falcon, 18 is from a poor background. He was victorious via fan voting via SMS much the same way American Idol determines their winner. He won US $23,255 and a condominium. A primary difference between the two countries is the Philippine program indicate on screen the percentage of votes the contestants received. American Idol does not and the Cambodian contests offer no fan voting. To further cloud the matter the winner is selected by some mysterious unnamed and undisclosed committee. In Cambodia there re no specifics just mystery and non-transparency.

The Philippines show is transparent. In a close decision Falcon won by a narrow 32,818 votes over runner-up Robi Domingo, 18 by receiving 620,934 votes (36.31%) to Domingo's 588,166 votes (34.39%) of the total 1,710,155 votes cast for the four finalists. Falcon also won a condominium and 1 million pesos (US $23,255). Domingo received 500,000 pesos (US $ 11,627.

Nicole Kim Uysiuseng, 17 finished third with 314,582 votes (18.39%) and won 300,000 pesos (US $ 6,976) and Beauty Gonzalez, 16 finished fourth with 186,523 votes (10.91%) winning 200,000 pesos (US $ 4,651). The US dollar was calculated at 43 pesos to the dollar.

Another touch of transparency in the Philippine show is when the contestants are introduced as being selected to compete on the show they are shown on camera with their parents or close relative. In Cambodia some lie about their age and background. The producers don't take the time to qualify the contestant's integrity.

Another twist to the Philippine show is they a parent or close relative on the show as chaperones. They stayed in separate quarters but intermingled with the teens throughout the series and also competed for a prize. The winner was chosen by the teen committee as well as the parents themselves in a submission for eviction nomination voting process. Ejay's father won that contest making the family double winners.

The point about being poor came up when one of the parents challenged Ejay when all the four finalists were asked why they should win the contest. Ejay doesn't speak English his most hated subject in school but the Spanish parent of another Big Bro Teen housemate could and he replied to Ejay's comments, What did you think that this is a contest for the poor? You can call it what you want but we'll file that comment away in the BAD TASTE FILE.

Ejay a University of Manila student is shy and a virgin. That point came out in an interview he did on the Boy and Kris show when he was a guest with the other top four teen contestant finalists. Also appearing was Valerie Weigmann who the network is trying to make a love team/couple with Falcon and other girls or boys on the show which the ABS-CBN network is trying to create love teams from as the network has done in the past with other contestants on their previous contests on ABS-CBN.

Ejays background is best described from a Philippine point of view from his bio on the shows website.

Ejay's bio reads:

At first glance, Ejay doesn't look the typical promdi for he moves in a smooth and urbane manner. But as one gets to know him, the truth about his hometown begins to show, not that he tries to hide it. This shy lad from Oriental Mindoro speaks with straight and clear Tagalog, with a taint of Mindorenyo and a Visayan accent.

Ejay grew up in the island of Pola where there is a scarcity of water and electricity, and watching TV Patrol and primetime television series from the community TV, the only form of entertainment for the residents. Despite his timid ways acquired from his rural origins and strict Christian upbringing, Ejay is courageous and determined, ready to take on anything just to free his family from the poverty that ruined his parent's marriage. He dreams big for his family that even if he is granted one wish, he'd not ask for fame but for his family to be together again. He is hopeful that Pinoy Big Brother is the first big step to realizing this dream.

Ejay Falcon has taken that first step by winning a condo and needed cash to help his family. He later noted that he intended to give the condo to his family to reside. To ABS/CBN's credit in this instance they created a show that helps people and does not destroy their dignity. In this case this contest is transcending, developing and strengthening the self esteem of an individual for his achievement as well as giving him something of substance to show for it.

COMING - The Bloom Fell Off The Rose

What happened to a contest for teens that did not live up to it's former standards when these words were spoken:

"Our society now has a bad problem with drugs and domestic violence. In order to solve these problems you have to start with the family but sometimes they don't understand. That's where we come in. It's not going to solve the problems of the world but at least we started something. We teach being a good teen at home by being a good son or daughter. At school (we teach) being a good student, in society to be a good friend. This is the concept we teach." COMING - The Bloom Fell Off The Rose

TV SCHEDULE

Note: The shows listed are for the Cambodia - Thailand time zone. Check your local listings for time and date in your area.

MONDAY

5:00 PM - LARRY KING - CNN - Airs daily

TUESDAY

5:00 PM - LARRY KING - CNN - Airs daily

WEDNESDAY

5:00 PM - LARRY KING - CNN - Airs daily

7:00 PM - TRIBE - DISCOVERY CHANNEL

THURSDAY

5:00 PM - LARRY KING - CNN - Airs daily

FRIDAY

5:00 PM - LARRY KING - CNN - Airs daily

SATURDAY

3:00 PM - JAY LENO - CNBC

7:30 PM - HI NET WORTH - (financial magazine show) - CNBC

9:00 PM - JAY LENO - CNBC

SUNDAY

3:00 PM - JAY LENO - CNBC

5:00 PM - LARRY KING - CNN - Airs daily

8:30 PM - HI NET WORTH - (financial magazine show) - CNBC

9:00 PM - JAY LENO - CNBC

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