Survivor’s Cagayan edition to air in 156 countries

SANTA ANA, Cagayan , Philippines   â€” The 28th series of the American reality-TV show Survivor, which was filmed entirely in Palaui Island here last year, will be shown in at least 156 countries over international television networks.    

Lope Juban Jr., president of the Philippine Film Studios, Inc., which took part in the production of the series from March to August last year, said that Philippine viewers can catch the show over JackTV.

 According to Juban, however, the Survivor’s Palaui series titled Brawn vs. Brains vs. Beauty, produced by Mark Burnett with Jeff Probst as host, debuted in the US yesterday.

 The Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) facilitated the filming of Survivor as part of its tourism development and investment plans for the economic zone, which covers this once-obscure fishing town and parts of the Aparri islets.

 Palaui, an idyllic island located northeast off Luzon along the West Philippine Sea, is described as one of the world’s best beaches and eco-tourism destinations because of its unparalleled natural beauty and rich biodiversity.

Last year, CNN Travel adjudged Palaui Island as one of the world’s 10 Best Beaches, the only one from the Philippines and the entire Southeast Asia to make it in the prestigious list.

Among the Palaui areas included in the filming of the Survivor 28th series were the scenic Anguib Beach, Pozo Robo Beach, Siwangag Cove and the centuries-old Spanish built Cape Engano Cove.

 The production group had its first shooting day at Anguib Beach for the previous season — Blood vs Water (27th season) and Survivor Cagayan (28th season) on May 19, 2013.

 The Survivor’s preparation and filming, which involved some 500 international and local production crew, lasted for seven months.  

 Nilo Aldeguer, CEZA senior deputy administrator, said that the producers of the Survivor series, spent at least P300M for its entire production, wherein 60 percent went to hotel and accommodations, while the rest was spent for talent fees and salaries of participants and production crew as well as incidental expenses.