JC Tiuseco is 1st Pinoy Sole Survivor

The winner takes it all. JC Tiuseco brought home the bacon last Friday night when the Tribal Council and the viewing public proclaimed him the first Sole Survivor of GMA 7’s Survivor Philippines. JC took home P3-M and a brand-new car as immunity challenge prize, leaving Rob Sy and the rest of the Castaways empty handed. The only consolation they could get, however, was “exposure” as Patani Daño would put it. That will hopefully give the other 17 Castaways a passport to show business.

How did the voting go? The eight members of the council cast their votes in Koh Tarutao, Thailand. The public, on the other hand, texted their favorites through the Boto ng Bayan. It is only in the Philippines that televiewers can sway the possible outcome of the competition as their vote could be the final arbiter in case of a tie.

The Boto ng Bayan went to JC while the second vote was for Rob. JC and Rob received the third and fourth votes, respectively. But JC clearly won the competition when the three consecutive votes went to him. The Hardcourt Heartthrob from San Sebastian College beat The Lover Boy from Mandaluyong City in a 5-2 score card.

“I feel relieved after months and days of waiting what might happen on the show. I’m so happy,” says the 23-year-old basketball player of his win.

“I wanted to prove myself to my family,” adds JC when asked of his motivation to stay in the island for 39 days away from the comforts of modern living. “I wanted to prove that I could also do the challenges the way the other Castaways did, that I wasn’t a weakling (lampa) and I could adapt to the island’s living condition.”

Does he have plans of entering the biz? “Definitely, yes, if there’s an opportunity,” answers JC. “I would like to act.”

According to JC, the most difficult part of the competition was to be away from his family. He says he had no choice but to tag along with the other Castaways whom he eventually considered his family to survive.

Before the big announcement was made, everybody learned how the Top Two played the game. JC started slow and lacked the competitive stance in the beginning. His good boy image won him the sympathy of some Castaways.

Rob befriended everyone and played the middleman in some rifts in the island. That and his compliance to the challenges secured him a spot in the finals.

“I will use it for my future,” replied Rob when asked how he will spend the pot money if ever he wins.

“I will help my parents’ business,” answered JC. “I have no plans yet of starting my own business because I have to focus on my studies first.”

Televiewers along with the Castaways relived the survival stories on Survivor Philippines last night on SNBO. In the reunion special, they also found out the answers to the questions they were dying to ask Survivor contestants. The special highlighted the Castaways’ journey and showed their audition tapes.