VEERING away from the classic reality TV oxymoron of forced natural drama was what the ABS-CBN creative team sought to do when they came up with their new series, “Kamao.”
“Kamao” is a 30-minute reality boxing show shot in Subic, with 11 contenders fighting to win P500,000 and a chance to become the “new boxing superstar.” It is hosted by Robin Padilla, Vina Morales and Manny Pacquiao.
The 45-minute premiere was aired last night.
The series is not the typical fight-and-win contest. It is also intended to tug at the viewers’ heartstrings with the clich?-ish “plot” line: struggling underdog makes his way to the top after taking a few punches.
It is boxing, but not entirely boxing, since the individual stories of the boxers are unraveled dramatically with the collaborators’ expert editing.
Despite it being said that the idea has been taken from NBC’s “The Contender,” Enrico Santos, VP for Entertainment and Creative Synergy and head of the New Genre Unit, said the series was conceptualized early last year.
“We thought of this in February [2004], when nobody had heard of [‘The Contender’]. We’ve been developing reality shows for quite some time already, and last year, we talked of having a new reality show with a purpose. We had many ideas; this one just happened to take form ahead of the others.”
Santos proceeded to stress the difference between the two shows: “Boxing in the United States is just a sport. Here in the Philippines, boxing is life and livelihood for many. Most of our prizefighters feed their families with this. It’s probably true, too, of boxers in the US, but here, we give more heart to it. Therefore, we have more to give to this show than a similar reality show in the States could give.”
Obviously, he was talking of the drama. Santos said the boxers’ sob stories were touching, to say the least. “We cried while editing the footage. Pinoys struggle really hard. Their reaction to either victor or defeat is more intense.”
“Kamao’s” collaborative team couldn’t start taping until November 2004. “We were supposed to start taping in October, but we had to wait for the availability of Robin Padilla, Manny Pacquiao, and Vina Morales. When we got the go-ahead, we started shooting right away,” executive producer Albert Almaden recounted.
Almaden said they had to audition more than 3,000 amateur boxers nationwide for three days before they came down to 11 contenders.
The contestants include: Luisito “Striker” Sangalang from Manila; Regie “Baby Ama” Amarante from Dumaguete; Joel “Joe da King” Garcia from Bacolod; Jaypee “Capila” Ignacio from Northern Samar; Gary “Popoy” Lastrilla from Iloilo; Joel “Joel the Great” Rafols Jr. from Bacolod; Dandy “Singin” Areola from Cagayan; Frankie “Flash” Escaner from Sultan Kudarat; Dennis “Baby Pacquiao” Tugbo from Masbate; Jeanyce “Baga” Baga from Dumaguete, and John Rey “Jonjon” Emilia from Baguio City. Almaden disclosed that their main criterion for the auditions was basic knowledge of boxing. Dealing with the challenges was second. “To keep it fair, we did not accept professional boxers, although the contestants were required to have prior training,” he said. The age range is 18 to 25.
According to Henry Posadas, one of the directors of the series, it wasn’t entirely difficult to shoot the series. “It was, a little bit, physically and logistically . . . but I enjoyed it. Besides, I know boxing,” he said.
To ensure the boxers’ safety, Santos said they got insurance for them. And there was an ambulance and a doctor standing by at all times for the entire month that they were shooting.
Hoping to increase interest in the show after the program’s initial broadcast, the series’ collaborative team vowed to sneak in footages of Pacquiao’s March 19 fight in Las Vegas (March 20 in Manila), and some during his training.
“It will be called ‘Kamao plus Pacquiao reality training,'” Santos disclosed. “I’m sure viewers will like this series. It’s different.”
