When they joined the first Pinoy Fear Factor, the six
eliminated participantes—Gail Nicolas, Ram Sagad, Phoemela Baranda, Jose
Sarasola, Elmer Felix, and LJ Moreno—aimed to conquer their fears in an effort to win the prize money and house and lot.
But when they came back to the Philippines earlier than expected, a question came to mind, "Did they really conquer their fears?"
For the Bikini Summit '07 winner Gail Nicolas, whose greatest fears are dark places and heights, she said she never had the chance to try to conquer her feel because she was eliminated too soon.
She said, "Hindi ko masyado na-experience 'yong fear kasi ako po yung unang natanggal. So, parang marami pa pong stunts na gusto ko talaga maexperience, yung mga kinatatakutan ko pero sobrang minalas po, ako yung unang napauwi."
The second person eliminated from the show, Ram Sagad, confidently said that he has overcome his fear of heights. In fact, he said in an interview, he would have enjoy his last stunt if only he had not lost his grip from a moving helicopter. He added, "Noong napapanood ko na yung mga ginagawa nila parang naiinggit ako, parang gusto kong I-try, 'yon nga neenjoy ko na."
When TV Patrol Star Patroller Phoem Baranda was eliminated next, she promised to herself, "Mag-aaral akong mag-swimming, mag-bike, at mag-aalaga ako ng ahas." Her intention to learn swimming is triggered by the stunt wherein they had to enter a glass tank full of snakes.
"Hindi ako magaling sumisid," admitted Phoem. "So, 'yong tank kasi after Jose [Sarasola], ako 'yong sumunod and pagtalon ko talagang sobrang murky na nung water. Nag-panic na rin ako kasi natakot na rin ako sa ahas 'tapos sobrang lamig na nung tubig.
"'Yong weather talaga doon ang isa sa mga pinakakalaban ko doon, kasi mahina ako sa lamig. So, when we got there, first time to go out there, sobrang lamig talaga."
Fourth eliminated participante Jose Sarasola actually added another fear instead of eliminating them: he is now wary of snakes. This is because he was bitten by snakes while inside the glass tank. The Fil-Spanish culinary student used to think about raising snakes as pets.
"I got bitten three times by [snakes]," he related, "so I guess that counts as torture. But then it was a fun trip, I mean, you never do these stunts in your whole life, so even if nasaktan ako I enjoyed the whole experience talaga."
Veterinarian Elmer Felix had a different story. Although he had conquered his fear of heights and being claustrophobic, he thought that his knowledge about animals become a disadvantage when they were tasked to eat transfer cockroaches from one container to another.
The participante who accidentally ate a cockroach said, "Alam ko po kasi 'yon, pinag-aralan po namin 'yon. Kaya minsan pumasok po sa isip ko, ‘Ano, gagawin ko ba 'to?' Parang ganon po, kasi alam ko po kung gaano kadumi, e. So, minsan po yun nagiging disadvantage po pero pag nakikita ko po yung mga kasama ko na they give their best, siyempre kailangan ibigay rin ko po yung best ko."
LJ Moreno, who was vacationing with her family in America during the media junket prepared for them, was not able to share her experience. However, her co-challengers went "kilig" as they recalled how LJ was given surprise visit by her crush.
The preschool teacher was surprised by her crush, an Argentinian Fear Factor crew member named Maxi, during a farm visit. He gave LJ hand-picked flowers and invited her to lunch.
After all the hard stunts, the fun memories, and the unique bonding moments with fellow Pinoy Fear Factor "participantes," they shared the valuable lessons that they learned from the reality show. In a nutshell: never give up.
Phoem even pointed out, "Pagbalik ko, I reallly appreciated the things that I have. Kasi like simple things, 'yong mga everyday na meron ako dito sa Pilipinas, talagang naappreciate ko pagkauwi ko."
Earlier tonight, January 23, the remaining participantes went through the third stunt of "septima ronda de eliminacion." They had to complete the routing of a nerve spiral or else it would trigger fiery explosions. In previous stunts in the seventh round, the participantes had to be locked in a glass coffin underwater and they had to bear being covered with rats, snakes, and frogs
while inside a three-division box.
Find out who will be the seventh eliminado on Pinoy Fear
Factor: Argentina, South America. It airs weeknights on ABS-CBN right after Eva Fonda. Weekly
highlights of PFF air every Saturday at 7 p.m. on Studio 23.