MANILA, Philippines — Melai Cantiveros admitted that she was often teased because of her Bisaya accent, but she would just laugh it off.
“When they teased me, I also teased them back,” she recently said at a mediacon.
“Here in Manila, there are some who would notice (my accent). When they teased me about it, I took it as a learning. And it’s an opportunity na mapatawa sila (to make them laugh). Niloloko ko lang sila and they would laugh (back). And at the same time, kapag ma-correct man sila, they wouldn’t get offended. I consider it as a learning para everybody happy and everybody love, love, love,” she added.
Melai, nevertheless, beamed that she gets to flaunt her Bisaya roots through her program “Kuan On One.” The ABS-CBN’s Bisaya talk show is now on its second season streaming on the ABS-CBN Entertainment YouTube channel and iWantTFC.
According to Melai, “Kuan On One” is important for Bisaya like her to be able to showcase the culture and tradition of Bisaya to the national audience.
“Bisaya is my first language,” she declared. “Kahit balik-baliktarin pa, I don’t know about others, but even if you go to America, Spain or Uruguay, hindi pa rin matatanggal sayo ang pagka-Bisaya mo, especially the tradition. It is important for me to bring this to a national (level) so that they would see and hear who we are, our traits.”
“And they would also understand, like, ‘Ah, ito pala mga Bisaya. Hindi pala sila galit. Yung mukha lang nila mukhang galit.’ But they would understand that deep down, ‘Ganito lang mga Bisaya.’ We didn’t mean anything bad, but we are just like this, we are happy people.”
She aimed to bring more laughter and lessons to both Bisaya and non-Bisaya viewers via her show.
“I want the viewers to pick up yung mga individuality ng mga Bisaya celebrities and influencers that I interviewed. Na kapag na-touch mo kung saan sila nanggaling, one would see that they are normal people, they are humble and they deserve to be our idols,” she remarked.
Melai has already featured JK Labajo, Kyle Echarri, “PBB Gen 11” housemates Jas and Binsoy, Davao Conyo, and others in “Kuan On One” Season 2.
Melai rose to stardom after winning the “Pinoy Big Brother (PBB): Double Up” in 2009. She went on to appear in several acting projects, host morning talk programs, and other shows.
On her staying power in the entertainment industry, the “PBB” alum said that it is due to the “power of prayer.”
“Thank you, Lord, Jesus Christ. I would really say that si Lord lang talaga. I just prayed that one day, I will be given a project or work because kung matapos din naman yung trabaho ko, I always say this in my interviews, whatever is Lord’s plan, I’m willing to accept whatever career (path) that He would give me,” she told The STAR. “Malay niyo, He wants me to be a farmer. I will be a farmer in GenSan.”
“I don’t have relatives na Lopezes para bigyan talaga nila ako ng kuan (projects). I don’t have relatives who are actors. But through prayer, I really pray na, ‘Lord, it’s up to you.’ You know what, He touched the heart of the bosses. Nasa meeting siguro nila na, ‘Yan si Melai, bigyan yan ng one five,” she quipped.
“For me, if that’s what you call staying power, then it is the power of prayer.”