Sixteen years ago, Nene Tamayo made television history when she won the very first edition of Pinoy Big Brother. At just 24, Kumander Nene, as she’s more popularly known, walked away with several grand prizes including a house and lot worth P2 million, a livelihood showcase, a Nissan Frontier Titanium and P1 million in cash.
Like many housemates after her, becoming The Big Winner opened doors for Nene. Her first taste of television was a six-month stint as segment host of Citizen Patrol, an older version of the Bayan Mo, I-Patrol segment of ABS-CBN news program TV Patrol.
Ironically, the now 40-year-old never dreamed of entering showbiz. From the moment Kumander Nene became the household name we know and love, the Romblon-born mompreneur admitted that she auditioned for the hit reality series thinking its cash prize could fund her real goal: To start a business. As a child, Nene would walk several miles to and from school, selling suman and guavas to buy materials for class projects. Needless to say, her humble beginnings fueled her drive for a better life.
It didn’t take much for Nene to leave showbiz for good. While armed with determination and PBB cash prize as capital, Nene’s foray into entrepreneurship wasn’t the smoothest. She tried everything from running a convenience store to opening up a comedy restobar before finding success in the food industry.
In 2014, Nene launched Nene Prime Foods. Her flagship product, Spanish Style Bangus Sardines, became an instant bestseller. She’s since expanded her product line to include more artisanal bottled fish as well as fresh food choices.
Nene also expanded her personal brand. Save for occasional TV guestings, Nene is very active online. She regularly posts on her YouTube, Facebook and Twitter pages. She even has a Lyka and Kumu account!
Though many years have passed, she is grateful as ever for the life she leads. PBB was a means to the end she always wanted for herself. Now, she is reaping the benefits and sharing her blessings with husband Anthony and son Antonio. In my recent catch up with her in our Pamilya Talk episode, Nene took us down memory lane:
On her early aspirations…
“Yung unang-una ko talagang dream bago man ako mag-college ay gusto ko maging sundalo. Gusto ko magserbisyo sa bayan at gusto kong mamatay na may silbi yung buhay ko. Hindi ako nangarap na makakuha ng material things, ang gusto ko lang ay magkaroon ng silbi yung existence ko sa mundo. Kaso nga lang, noong nag-college na ako, nag-apply ako sa PMA, pero ayaw ni papa kasi babae ako. Sabi niya mamatay raw ako nang maaga. Sabi ko sa nanay ko, kapag mamamatay ako ng maaga, di maaga ang pensiyon mo. Eh di nagalit lalo si nanay ko. Tapos sabi ko, ‘Siguro, ayaw talaga ni God na magsundalo ako.’ In-accept ko na sa sarili ko na baka hindi talaga para sa akin ang pagsusundalo. Before po dumating si PBB, nag-decide ako na huwag muna ituloy ang pagsusundalo. Siguro kailangan munang mag-goal ako na before 30 years old, may savings na ako sa bangko, at merong bahay ako, kahit 1 bedroom unit lang habang tumutulong sa nanay at tatay at mga kapatid ko. Hindi na po ako nangarap ng sasakyan noong time na yun. I was working as a regular employee, kaya sabi ko masyado nang malaki yung pangangarap ng sasakyan kung kaya ko naman maglakad araw-araw sa Romblon. Kaya ko gusto magkaroon ng savings noon sa bank account kasi gusto ko na mag-start ng business kapag 30 year old na ako.”
“Dumating si Pinoy Big Brother when I was 23. Mga ilang months lang nun na nag-set ako ng goal para sa sarili ko. I turned 24 sa PBB house, ako rin po yung unang nag-celebrate ng birthday sa PBB house. Ayon, wala pang 1 year na nag-set ako ng goal, binigay na lahat ng goal ko na yun. Sabi ko, ‘Ang galing mo naman, Lord. Sobra-sobra naman yung binigay mo sakin. Nagwiwish lang ako ng 500k na savings sa bank account ko tapos binigyan mo ako ng 1M.’”
On the Kumander Nene ‘mindset…’
“Kaya ko pinapanindigan iyan kasi it reminds me to be always be the best version of myself. Noong pumasok ako sa Bahay ni Kuya, sabi ko, kung pumasok ako sa final 12, no expectations but I will do my best para manalo. Manalo man ako o matalo paglabas ng Bahay ni Kuya, walang pagsisisihan, walang panghihinayangan, so I will always set goals and objectives. Ngayon, paglabas ng bahay ni Kuya, pinangako po namin kay Kuya na we are better versions of ourselves and we will strive also to be better. Kaya nilabas ko po yang “Commander” kasi hindi lang po commander dahil sa army training. Commander na rin sa bahay, commander ng buhay ko. Lagi ko nang sinasabi sa anak ko na 14 years old, ‘You know what, we have the power to choose. The power is in our hands and in our mind. That’s why we have the power to always choose what is right and what is good for ourselves and for the people we love.’”
“Na-experience ko na kahit dalawang pisong asukal, wala kaming pambili. Sabi ko, pinanganak akong mahirap, hindi ko naman kasalanan yun, or kahit sino mang pinanganak na mahirap, hindi natin kasalanan yun. Pero, kapag mamatay tayong mahirap, kasalanan na natin yun kasi wala tayong ginawa. Yun yung naging mantra ko na I should do something to improve my life and my family’s life. Kaya noong nagkaroon ng chance sa PBB, ayoko talaga na mananalo ako dahil sa sympathy o awa. Noong nanalo ako, nilapitan ako ni Direk Lauren Dyogi. Sabi niya, ‘Alam mo Nene, first time na may nanalo sa isang reality show because you deserve it, hindi dahil naawa ang mga tao sa iyo. They look up to you.’”
On working with a spouse…
“Kami po, happy pa rin kasi magkasundo na po kami ever since. Nag-15th anniversary na rin kami (last September). Division of labor po kami. Ako kasi, mahilig magluto. Siya, mahilig magbenta so siya tagahanap ng clients namin. Hindi kami nagbabanggaan kasi may sarili po kaming toka. By nature, talagang introvert ako. Hindi ako mahilig mag-socialize,. Mahilig magbenta, hindi lang talaga halata.”
On her recipe for success…
“Yung aking bangus, galing po sa Dagupan. That’s the best bangus in the Philippines. Brackish water yung sa Bonuan sa Dagupan kaya masarap yung bangus doon. Kahit pamita’t asin lang, masarap na. Tsaka taga-doon po kasi si husband ko, kaya ko nadiscover yung bangus and olive oil.”
“One hundred percent nakatulong ang PBB kasi mas madali sa amin na yung reality talaga, mas madaling i-market yung product namin. Hindi namin kailangang gumastos nang sobra sobra sa marketing or pagpromote kasi kami na po yung mismong sarili naming endorser ng product namin. But also, tinatake advantage namin yun but we see to it also na talaga namang masarap yung product. Kaya yung business po namin ay Nene Prime Foods kasi to remind again to myself to serve good quality products to our clients.”
On her advice to today’s PBB contestants…
“Lagi kong sinasabi sa inyo to be yourself, but be the better version of yourself kasi this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Galingan natin, pero yung kung ano talaga tayo. Maging authentic tayo sa ginagawa nati na video… I-enjoy niyo lang, tsaka kung maging housemate kayo, do your best and i-enjoy niyo yung pagiging housemate. Tsaka, huwag na huwag po ninyong isipin na mag-voluntary exit kung housemate na kayo dahil sa dinami-dami ng nag-audition, kayo ang swerte na nakasama sa final 12 housemates or more than 12. Tsaka, huwag kayong matatakot. Huwag kayong mag-isip na wala kayong kakilala sa ABS-CBN o wala kang idea. I gave it a try. At tignan mo, naging housemates kami ni Kuya. Go for it!”
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