"Pinoy Fear Factor" reveals 5 of the 12 'participantes'

PEP's (Philippine Entertainment Portal) report about two celebrities that are included in the local adaptation of the U.S. reality show Fear Factor was confirmed when the audio-visual presentation of the "participantes" was shown during its press conference held last Monday, October 27, at the 9501 Restaurant, ABS-CBN Compound in Quezon City. (CLICK here to read related article.)

Phoemela Barranda and LJ Moreno are two of the first five "participantes" that were introduced in public last night in Bandila. The others include former basketball player Ram Sagad, stand-up comedienne Jamie Ann "Janna" Dominguez, and balikbayan Marion Angelo dela Cruz.

Phoem and LJ were chosen through special auditions that were held for celebrities who wished to join the contest.

Direk Laurenti Dyogi, business unit head for Pinoy Fear Factor, explained that aside from the open auditions, "We sent invitations to some managers, talent scouts para magpadala ng mga interesado. Then, mayroon din kaming in-entertain, like sila LJ, 'yong manager niya [told us] na interesado noong malaman na may Fear Factor. Mayroon din namang mga artista na nagsabi na interesado or want to join Fear Factor."

Janna Dominguez, 18, can also be considered a celebrity in the group because she used to host the noontime variety show Wowowee and is one of the supporting cast in the all-female gag show Banana Split.

The 23-year-old Ram Sagad used to play for San Sebastian College-Recolletos de Manila Golden Stag team in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). In 2007, he was hailed as the Century Tuna Superbod, which made him the endorser of Century Tuna.

Marion Angelo dela Cruz is not a celebrity but he dared to take all the challenges prepared by the Pinoy Fear Factor team. A soccer player who grew up in Vienna, Austria, Marion was sent to the Philippines to live with his lola because he had become too much to handle with all the vices and trouble that he got himself into.