As the Finale for the breakout hit Survivor Philippines draws to a close, the true battle begins for the last five remaining castaways.

Perhaps everyone are heaving a sigh of relief that Marlon Carmen aka “the waiter,” the most disliked cutthroat and aggressive person (?) in the competition is already eliminated; and agreeably has now come down to the ‘brainy’ Charisse, the ‘driver’ Cris, the ‘hunky’ athlete, JC, the self-proclaimed ‘loverboy,’ Rob, and the endearing laundry woman, ‘nanay’  Zita, vying for that 3 million peso prize and the title FIRST “Sole Survivor.”

If this show does not excite Filipino TV viewers, I don’t know what does?!

Here’s Part two of the exclusive interview with Survivor Philippines’ only resident doctor. The ever cheery, at times self-effacing, definitely sharp and multi-talented, Dr. Zoe. Read on:

Preparations

Mae: In the islands, what kind of medical tools do you have? How did you prepare yourselves for possible animal (crocodile, snake, mosquito) attacks and or diseases you, the crew or the half-naked contestants might have encountered?

Dr. Zoe: Fortunately, our Thai production team has also provided us with the necessary equipment to put up our own clinic in the base camp. We have basic surgical tools, a set of splints, oxygen tanks, emergency meds, & other emergency and rescue equipment, etc.

As for the animal attacks, we have rangers and snake handlers surrounding us at all times since it is a national park. Basically, it’s still better to administer first aid to the victim along with the ranger, then conduct them immediately to Langu Hospital where they can do proper tests; to assess whether it would be beneficial to give the anti-venom or not; and to admit and monitor. Luckily, we didn’t have a single incident of such.

The mosquito bites - the Thai and Filipino production teams have a lot of synthetic mosquito repellents in creams and sprays. Prevention is always better than a cure, right? The half-naked contestants would just have to survive the insect bites. However, I do get to examine them periodically, and if they need to be treated, then they will be treated accordingly. The rule that I follow is: Keep them healthy, but not necesarily comfortable. I got this from Dr Adrian Cohen, former medical director for Survivor CBS. This means that if they need sutures or antibiotics, then they will get that. But if they complain of pain or sunburn, they would have to survive that.

Survivor Philippines Vital Statistics

Surviving the Islands

M: What “bugs” the contestants the most? What were the most common medical maladies among the crew and the Survivor contestants? Bites and skin diseases?

Dr. Z: The number 1 cause for all of us - production staff or castaways - was mosquito bites and sand mites!! Second was musculo-skeletal complaints, most of them, I guess, due to riding those dump trucks! Just a handful of allergic reaction cases. But surprisingly, I did not have any cough nor diarrhea cases which was what I anticipated the most before arriving on the island.

M: What luxury in the real world did you miss most? Did you have your cellphones, computers with you in the islands?

Dr. Z: We had cellphones, computers and internet on the island. We even had videoke almost every night! We didn’t have cable TV, but, surprisingly, we didn’t miss it. I honestly don’t know what I miss most about the real world, but I can tell you this much: I only realized I miss civilization when I had the chance to go to a mall sometime during our our stay in Thailand. We remembered we were deprived of movies, so we wanted to watch The Dark Knight orThe Mummy because it was shown I think just right after we left Manila.

Unfortunately, the movies in Hat Yai City were all dubbed in Thai! It was so frustrating not being able to watch at a time when we wanted to so badly! But what was delightful was that despite having the chance to taste some fine dining, surprisingly, we still all went straight to Mc Donald’s! Hahaha!

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Survivor Philippines, the country’s counterpart of the global hit reality television series Survivor is currently making raves in ratings and buzz all across the Philippines! In a recent rating from AGB Nielsen Philippines, it dominated primetime TV with 36.8% viewership- its highest rating since debuting on September 15.

This is a long time coming for Philippine television where over 30 countries have already had successful runs of the franchise since 1997, the most popular being the Survivor US version now on its 17th season.

Thanks to the careful management and considerations of GMA Network, one of the Philippines’ premier TV stations who acquired the franchise, they are now enjoying the fruits of their labor this early on.

With enough media hype and hum, its own interactive website, word of mouth advertising from satisfied TV viewers (talking about it at work, home, parties and elsewhere), positive reviews from bloggers on the internet, and continuous promotion in its network- ABS-CBN, its long-time rival must not be feeling all too cozy these days lagging behind in ratings and viewership.

Can’t Get Enough

Well we’ve seen the show, been following it devotedly, picked up our favorites to win the title the first “Sole Survivor,” joined in the forums, watched the highlights and read the recaps on its official website, did all a Survivor fan would do and yet we still want to know more and find out more about the show and its production.

When one thinks of a production like Survivor where you only see the (18) castaways and its host, Paolo Bediones episode after episode- it is hard to imagine what goes behind the scenes and how many others are actually involved in running it!

Dr. ‘Survivor’

Considering that this show is literally about surviving amidst starvation, mind games and various intense physical challenges, and that is what the contestants have signed up for– still a medical and rescue team is most obligatory and essential in overseeing the castaway’s conditions without compromising the rules of the game.

Call me lucky to know a member of the production team! This is an exclusive two-part Q&A interview on one of the unsung “heroes” of the show. She is a kick-ass, highly witty, Mensa member, fascinating, fun-loving, adventure-seeker lass of Survivor Philippines!

Meet the resident doctor known on the show as Doctor Zoe. Read On:

Mae: First off, Dr. Zoe- congratulations on the victorious status Survivor Philippines is currently enjoying. Did any of you expect this much attention and appreciation for the show when you were filming it?

Dr. Zoe: Thank you so much, Mae! Survivor Philippines‘ present status is still overwhelming! We had nothing but hopes for its success while we were filming it. In my opinion, I felt Survivor would generate as much interest as its American counterpart (based on the reactions I have read on the net even during our pre-production phase), but I was hoping that those unfamiliar with this game would embrace the complexities of its mechanics. I wish that Filipinos will see themselves in the castaways and learn a thing or two about surviving the politics of a group, acknowledge its reality, and apply it to their everyday lives.

M: How did you get involved with the show? How were you selected to be part of the medical team? Surely, you didn’t just take a “Wanted sign” and brought it in GMA network’s office did you?

Dr. Z: My name came up because it was recommended by a friend. No, I did not apply because I wasn’t aware of any announcements that they were looking for a doctor. That friend who recommended me, who became the psychologist for the show, brought me to GMA. He told the executive producer, Donna Medina, of my credentials. I was able to talk to Miss Donna later that afternoon. Not long after, I was invited to be a part of the Survivor team.

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Update: Desperate Housewives’ Remark Nothing but a Silly Joke!
Desperate Housewives Picks on Medical Schools

That is the the title of one of the headlines on ABS-CBN news website. Still on the Desperate Housewives issue. Sigh… A Fil-Am group rejected ABC station’s offer of jobs for Filipinos to work in their network. Instead, the Philippine Anti-Defamation Coalition (which was just newly-formed) wants ABC to pay tribute to Filipino Health Workers through an episode of Desperate Housewives and they specifically want Teri Hatcher to say things about Filipino Health workers in the effect of honoring these workers. They don’t want the jobs, they want recognition! Huh?! Say that again??

In the news article, it also mentioned of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) filing a $500 million law suit for that racial slur!!

Please read the full story and tell me, please tell me that we are not OA (over-acting) and KSP (Kulang sa Pansin, attention seekers)! This is totally ridiculous and not to mention getting embarrassing for ordinary Filipinos like me in the US who are NOT involved at all in this case! We just want to work, not be ridiculed further because some of you want attention and honor in a fictional show and on the side, hope to cash in the dough! What will you do with 500 million dollars?! Give me a break!!

LATEST TV rating of Desperate Housewives here in the US as of 14 October 2007 after three weeks since Teri Hatcher spoken a line with the word “Philippines” on it:

Whoa! Almost 19 million viewers watched Desperate Housewives last Sunday! They’re still on the number 4 spot in the Top 20 rating show in America.

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Related Post:
Desperate Housewives Picks on Philippine Medical Schools

I placed a mini mock poll on my blog to run for 2 weeks because I just can’t believe, after reading tons of blogs, that I’m all alone in my opinion that the Desperate Housewives’ remark shouldn’t be taken out of context. In this blog’s poll, 22% finds the remark offensive, hence demands an apology, 11% doesn’t care on the issue while 66% agree that there’s nothing more to it but a silly joke. Sure, it was but a mini poll with only 54 people voting but points my case that there are two opinions to a story. Mine may not be a popular choice but it does not make it wrong, just because there are more people against it. It appears I’m not alone after all.

There are silent voices out there who thinks that we have indeed taken this issue out of proportion. Before you lambast me with your political correctness rhetorics on your stand on the Housewives issue, let it be known that I respect your view so please respect mine and my reader’s clear cut opinion. I doubt if many of those who found it a racial slur even watched the entire episode OR they just relied and formed their opinions at once solely on a one minute clip they saw on youtube! If you watched the entire episode you’d understand the events leading to the remark.

Let’s just stop the hypocrisy and double standard. We always laugh at other people or other nationalities’ expense but once we’re the object of joke, everybody stops laughing! We suddenly become pikon, balat-sibuyas and asar-talo (onion-skinned and sore losers). We only need to turn our cable channels to Comedy Central where stand-up comics of different races make fun of everybody else bordering racism and insults for an hour or so 24/7 and nobody’s boycotting the station. You must have heard of South Park! They’ve ridiculed every imaginable character, from Presidents to religious people, TV and movie stars, to religion. This long-running vulgar and offensive American show has a huge following, where the object of their parody and satire are directed toward Americans themselves. They have a contract to run til 2011 for its 15th season!

Here’s a one-liner from Desperate Housewives with the word Philippines on it, suddenly, it’s a racial slur against the Filipinos and Filipino doctors?! Think again. It so happened that Desperate Housewives is an international TV show syndicated all over the world but how many times does Philippine television get away with discrminatory remarks and racial slurs?! Philippine TV makes fun of other races all the time and we laugh about it! We even have songs so popular to the masses that it’s scary we haven’t been gun down by the race being made fun of (…and this other video is supposedly done by a Filipino!). We don’t hear the Chinese, Bombays, Indians, Europeans even Americans we stereotype, calling on their people to boycott the Philippines! They have better things to do than meddle with mundane things.

The Philippines’ knee-jerk reaction was to me an overkill. Only in the Philippines does a story like that get to be on the front page and headlines’ newspapers for what could be a short article in the entertainment section. Only in the Philippines does ‘respectable’ lawmakers and Senators join in the bandwagon and proclaim their distaste to a show they haven’t even seen in full. Only in the Philippines, does a congressman file a resolution that calls for a ban on airing of Desperate Housewives in the Philippines. Here we have a government whose power is engulfed with controversies left and right and impending impeachment issues anew; here we have insurmountable unending troubles on corruption, bureaucracy, cronyism, political dynasty, population explosion, waste control, educational decline to name a few- the list could go on! Must we really make a huge deal on a fake character on TV when there are more pressing reality issues at hand?

And on a recent news, Philippine Medical Schools plan to join in the legal battle. Please! Can’t we let this die down? ABC already gave their sincere apology and even noting to edit that episode. Plus, they are also inviting talented Filipinos with background on media and TV to come and work for them. What more do you want? Teri Hatcher’s head on a platter? Let’s be more civilized than that!

We are really making a mountain out of a molehill here because the general opinion of Americans and other nationalities here in the US with regards to Filipino medical practitioners and Filipinos in general are high and it hasn’t changed after watching Desperate Housewives! Filipinos are well respected in their fields here. Sure, there is a constant ‘pressure’ to prove what you can do and what you can offer in your field but that is true for ALL regardless of sex, race and or gender. It is not just us, Filipinos trying to make a mark in the world; everyone must prove their competence in their chosen fields.

In the real world, when somebody questions your qualifications (which happens all the time especially if you’re starting on a new job!), you don’t go to your boss and complain about discrimination- you prove your worth! In the workplace, you are judged not by your race but by what you do. Americans do NOT think any less of Filipinos. There is no discussion on that here. If anything, we are greatly admired for our intelligence and hard work!

So why are we pursuing this now becoming stale affair? To save face? Why are we so defensive? Why are we really hurt that bad? Why do we feel insulted? Why do we take it so personally? Is it because there’s truth in it? Why do we need to overreact and show the whole world our pettiness? Who are we kidding?

Our educational system is in crisis. It has been in a state of decline for more than two decades. We are not producing enough ‘highly-educated’ graduates anymore! Wake up Philippines! Majority of our college graduates can not even converse in straight english anymore without struggling. High school and elementary students can not spell correctly and the use of txt mesaging das not help at ol n mproving the studes skils 4 dey bring dis kind of riting n deir essays! These are our future medical practitioners, future nurses, doctors and physical therapists! To the many of us who still believes we’re the leaders in education in Asia, get the facts by googling key words like decline of Philippine Education, Philippine Education problems or Philippine education crisis on the web. Read and be informed on the real status of our educational system. Before we berate others of their ignorance for not seeing it as a racial slur, check how our students really are faring today because they will be our future professionals.

I am a graduate of some nursing school in the Philippines. Seriously. Oh shoot, will Davao Doctor’s College sue me for saying that? Are they going to boycott this blog? I’m just saying that my school didn’t make me who I am today. It is a part of me BUT NOT all of me! Not to sound ungrateful but we, OFWs have to rely on our own resilience- the ability to bounce back and recover from adversity, our adaptation- a slow, usually unconscious modification of individual and social activity in adjustment to cultural surroundings, our assimilation, the process whereby a minority group gradually adopts the customs and attitudes of the prevailing culture, and our hard work and zealousness to survive abroad.

Our own individual successes are not because we graduated from some school but because of our Filipino-ness. The traits mentioned are all Filipino traits inherent on all of us and for that I am most proud of. Nobody’s putting nobody down. Now, if only we can move on with our lives here while our Philippine government hopefully puts our hard-earned dollars and Philippine taxpayer’s money into good use like the Senate approving the House approved 2008 proposed budget where the largest share of USD3.332 billion is going to the Department of Education. Isn’t that better news than barging into the fictitious lives of desperate housewives in Wisteria Lane?©

Note: Polls on Blogger.com remembers IP addresses and computers so a person can only vote one time for the duration of the poll. One may change their vote at any time but one can not vote more than once. It also does not allow voting from someone using a proxy or hiding its IP address. I tried all those just to check! So in essence, polls on Blogger.com is cheat proof! It is impossible to manipulate to get the result you want. Just so you know, in case you have doubts on its validity.