New PBB winners: No star quality

By: Mario E. Bautista
FREEHAND

THE four PBB 2 winners were presented to the press with the last evictee, Bodie Cruz. We asked big winner Bea Saw, 23, if she expected to win.

“I was ready to both win or lose, kasi competition ‘yun where anything can happen,” she says. “But I’m just happy I was able to complete our stay there for 126 days. When we went out, dun ako nagulat sa attention that people gave me.

May nagpapa-autograph at nagpapa-picture with me. I didn’t realize kilala na ako.”

What made her win? “From the start, I showed my real self. Nagpakatotoo lang ako and I think the people appreciated yung consistency ng ugali ko. I get my strength from my family. Although I had conflicts with some housemates, like Maricris and Wendy, I didn’t dwell on them and I never lost my temper. I come from a small town in Camarines Sur, Baao. We’re poor but I was able to graduate from Ateneo de Naga with a degree in development communication. I was already working in the human resources department of an office in Makati when I joined PBB. Sanay ako sa hirap.”

How did she react when Maricris said “ang sarap niyang saksakin”? “Hindi ko alam ‘yun, e. I was only told about that nung lumabas na ako. Maski yung Candy Pangilinan made fun of me raw, hindi ko rin alam kasi hindi naman namin napanood what’s going on sa stage. But I’m a very positive person, so balewala sa’kin yun.”

She won worth P6 million in cash and in kind, including a house and lot, a car, and trip to Europe. “Hindi pa nagsi-sink in sa’kin yun. But whatever I won, I’ll give it all to my mother.”

It’s said she won because her dad is pure Chinese and she got the support of the Chinese community, like Kim Chiu. “I don’t know. But if that’s true, di salamat sa kanila.”

So, what’s her plan now? ”It’s all up to ABS. If ever papasok akong showbiz, I’ll have to take workshops muna dahil wala akong alam diyan.”

We told third placer Wendy Valdez, 24, that, admit it or not, she’s the reason why the ratings of “PBB 2” increased in its last few weeks. Someone quips: “So it pays to be pasaway.” Probably inside Kuya’s house, but when Wendy starts taping shows or shooting films, she can’t afford to behave that way or she’d be quickly booted out.

What can she say about the negative feedback on her? “Well, iniintindi ko na lang na everyone’s entitled to his own opinion. ‘Yun namang away namin sa PBB, sandali lang nangyari yun, but I was told isang linggo palang pinalabas at inuulit-ulit on the air, so I’m not surprised nagalit sa akin ang tao. Basically, I’m a nice person. All I can say is kung may pangit akong ugali, I’m willing to change it. Nobody’s perfect and I have a whole lifetime naman to prove na I’m not a bad person. Anuman ang napanood nila sa’kin sa loob, kalimutan na lang. Tapos na ‘yun. Hindi naman ako nagagalit nang walang rason. Nasaktan din lang talaga ako.”

So she’s really going steady now with Bruce Quebral? “Sa loob ng PBB, siya ang kakampi ko. He was my source of strength there lalo’t maraming struggles and distressing situations sa loob ng bahay. I’m really touched dahil hanggang ngayon, si Bruce, lagi raw akong dinedepensa sa interviews. But it’s not yet final kung may relasyon na kami. We still have to talk seriously about it.”

How does she feel now that Regal got Bruce to play Marian Rivera’s cager boyfriend in “Desperadas”? “Di mabuti, may work na siya. Di ba sabi, may utang siya sa ex-girlfriend niya? O di mababayaran na niya.”

We notice that second placer Mickey Perez, 23, looks better in person than on TV. He has a wholesome personality and if he won’t get so fat anymore, he might stay on and try local showbiz. He dreams of putting up his own dance studio here in Manila and in Switzerland.

Fourth placer Gee Ann Abrahan, 21, also looks better in person. Better known as the housemate who talks to dolls, this “sosy Assumptionista” comes from a fairly wealthy family and she lived a sheltered life so her stay in PBB was really a big learning experience for her. “I learned how to be more independent and how to be more assertive and fight for my rights,” she says.

Going back to Bea, viewers voted for her because she’s “mabait,” but you don’t make it big in showbiz for being good. Between her and Wendy, we think it’s the latter who’ll manage to cultivate a showbiz career. To begin with, she’s not only better looking but, as everyone says, she will make an excellent contravida or villain. But no one in the PBB Season 2 batch will be as big a star as Sam Milby of Season 1. In the case of Sam, the very moment he entered Kuya’s house, you can sense that incandescent something called Star Quality all over him. We’re afraid no one among the PBB 2 housemates has that.