"Wala naman po akong ginawang masama, legal naman po yung ginawa ko sa isla. Paano mo sasabihing masama ang isang bagay kung mismong doon sa isla, hindi nag e-exist yung masama at mabuti? Ang rules lang dun is bawal manakit ng castaway," says Survivor Philippines castoff Marlon Carmen.

Noel Orsal

Marlon Carmen explains ruthless strategy in "Survivor Philippines"

Jocelyn Dimaculangan

Wednesday, December 17, 2008
05:43 PM

The wily waiter of Survivor Philippines is looking for a manager who is willing to handle his showbiz career. Marlon Carmen says that he would like to play a kontrabida character, but he is also open to doing comedy. Unlike the other castaways, however, he has not been offered to sign up with the GMA Artist Center.

After being voted off Survivor Philippines, viewers have seen Marlon in the GMA-7 shows Dear Friend, The Sweet Life and Unang Hirit.

During the Christmas party of GMA-7, PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) interviewed Marlon on his stint in the reality show shot in Thailand. Before he was voted off the Tribal Council, he threatened to unleash a "bomb" that would take everyone by surprise. What was he supposed to do back then?

"Well, actually, yung gusto kong pasabugin na yun, desperate move na yun, e," he admitted. "Psywar lang yun, e. Wala talaga, strategy lang. Napakaganda nung strategy, pero pang-basag lang ng diskarte ng ibang castaway. Wala naman po talaga [dapat ipasabog], wala naman po akong gagawin, e. Ano pa po bang mas nakakatakot na apoy sa isla, wala na, di ba?"

Does he get affected by people saying that he was a bad person on Survivor?

"Ang Survivor, e, strategy di ba?" he reasoned out. "Strategy, kaya mahirap ang takbo dito sa Pilipinas. Unang una, may palabra de honor, good values sa Philippine culture. Ang hirap talaga kung sasagasaan mo yung mga yun, sasabihin talaga nila sa 'yo, 'Talagang masama ugali mo.'

"Well, kung tingnan naman natin sa ibang bansa, kung paano laruin yung Survivor, ganun talaga siya. Katulad nina Lex at Ruth [Survivor castaways in the U.S.]...kung magiging ganun ako, hindi talaga maiintindihan ng Pilipino. Pero sa akin, okay lang yun dahil ako, bago ako maging castaway talaga, naging fan ako ng Survivor. Kaya kung hindi nila naiintindihan, sorry. Pero sa akin lang po, alam ko yung laro."

What was the reaction of his family members and friends regarding his actions in Survivor?

"Well, actually po yung pamilya ko po talaga, ang father ko, mga sister ko, alam nila yung diskarte ko, kasi nanonood din sila ng Survivor. So, proud sila sa akin. Pero yung mga relatives namin na hindi nanonood ng Survivor, nagtatanong sila, ‘Bakit naman ganyan si Marlon? Parang di naman tama yung ginagawa niya.'

"Biruin mo, yung mismong relatives ko, hindi maintindihan, paano pa kaya yung ibang tao? So, sinabi ko sa kanila, in-explain ko sa kanila, ganito talaga ang larong Survivor. Ang sabi nga nila, Lex daw ako ng Pilipinas."

Does he have any regrets about what he did during the reality show?

"Opo, masarap na masarap ang tulog ko. Wala naman po akong ginawang masama, legal naman po yung ginawa ko sa isla. Paano mo sasabihing masama ang isang bagay kung mismong doon sa isla, hindi nag e-exist yung masama at mabuti? Ang rules lang dun is bawal manakit ng castaway," Marlon explained.

"Psychological, emotional, lahat puwede mong gamitin as a weapon 'yan. So, paano mo masasabing masama ako, di ba? Game yun, e. Sa game na isa lang ang rule: bawal manakit. Yun lang yung sinusunod ko."

He then compared Survivor Philippines with other reality shows that rely on text votes to choose the winner.

"Kahit reality show siya, nag-i-strategize kami. Kung katulad kami dun sa [ibang reality show], sasalbahin kami ng text vote, baka magmukha akong santo dun, di ba? Magmumukha talaga akong anghel dun na, tipong ‘Kain na kayo. Gusto mo hiludan kita?' Hindi puwede sa akin yung ganun, hindi ko hihintayin ang pagkain na lumapit sa harapan ko, gusto ko susunggaban ko siya. Ganun ang Survivor."

Was he surprised by the inclusion of text voting in Survivor?

"Well, actually po, kasi ako nanonood ako ng U.S. edition, wala naman talagang text vote sa Survivor. Wala akong idea dun sa text vote na 'yan. Nung dumating dun sa [final] Tribal Council, sinabi ni Paolo [Bediones, host of Survivor Philippines] na ang sambayanang Pilipino ay ganito... Siyempre, magugulat kami kasi naiba, e. Dapat kasi pag nag-tie sa Tribal Council, automatic may challenge na pumapasok, e.

"Yung challenge na yun ang binigay nila, naging text-vote challenge. Ang challenge nila, makuha mo yung puso ng sambayanang Pilipino," said Marlon in closing.

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