MANILA, Philippines - Yes, there’s life after “Pinoy Dream Academy.” In an exclusive e-mail interview, Randy Dellosa, guidance counselor and resident psychologist on the ABS-CBN reality talent search told Inquirer Entertainment that the show’s expelled contestants are “doing well, so far.”
Dellosa compared the scholars’ stint on the show to “being thrown into the fire of rigorous training and fierce competition.” He explained, “It’s only in experiencing this heat... that they can grow as seasoned performers.” PDA, he pointed out, “is a journey of self-discovery and personal growth” for the contestants.
Expelled scholars Christian Alvear, Apple Abarquez, Bea Muñoz and Bunny Malunda seem to have bounced back, said the counselor. (All show castoffs get a sit-down session with Dellosa right after.) “Bunny is happy to be reunited with her family,” Dellosa said. “She’s also looking forward to her surgery (to remove a cyst in her vocal cord) and is thinking of becoming a model.”
Both Abarquez and Muñoz, Dellosa reported, are gung-ho about pursuing their show biz careers. “They are excited about the offers.” Alvear is determined to finish college, Dellosa said. “He has gained a wealth of knowledge that he now applies to his work as dubber for radio and TV shows.” Alvear told the Inquirer in a sit-down interview that he does voice work for animated shows like “Ninja Boy Rantaro,” “Sgt. Keroro” and “Cyborg 009.” Alvear said his session with Dellosa allowed him to thresh out several personal issues, among them the discrimination he experiences as a midget and his troubled relationship with his alcoholic father.
“Never akong nagtanim ng sama ng loob [I never kept ill feelings],” Alvear said. For her part, Abarquez said she thoroughly enjoyed her session with Dellosa. “He made me see the total picture,” Abarquez related. “I was glad to hear him say I’ve remained sane in spite of everything.” She admitted that she was completely unprepared for the reality show format. Being on-cam (and subject to public scrutiny 24/7) daunted her.
“It took a lot of adjustments,” Abarquez conceded. “In the first week, it was as if I was floating.” “It was nerve-wracking,” Muñoz agreed. “At first, I was afraid that I couldn’t be myself. But, according to Dr. Randy, I remained true throughout my stay. In any case, the word plastic isn’t in my vocabulary.”
Dellosa summed up the Dreamers’ journey, thus: “Obviously, some scholars grow more slowly and may need more psychological help than others. The important thing to remember is that everyone is a ‘work in progress’ and that we all have our own psychological blocks, secret hurts and inner struggles to overcome.”
On Saturday, Iñaki Ting joined Abarquez, Muñoz, Alvear and Malunda in the roster of castoffs; honorary scholar Poy Palma also left because her task on the show (“to raise the bar of the performances,” according to the PDA web site) was done.
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