iGMA: Top 8 StarStruck survivors ready for the 'final judgment'

Not all of the Top 8 contenders ng 'StarStruck V' ay makapapasok sa Final 4. Pero you can be sure that all of them are taking the competition to the next level. Wala nang hiyaan, wala nang atrasan, laban kung laban sa natitirang mga contestants.


Rocco Nacino, focusing on singing

"In StarStruck, anything can happen." Yan ang sinabi ni Rocco sa iGMA.tv nang matanggal si Piero Vergara sa competition last week. "Hindi mo talaga alam kung ano ang mangyayari, thus natatakot ako ngayon."

It's been two weeks since the last special award was given, all of which nakakakuha si Rocco. Pero kung sa tingin ng mga tao ay kampante na si Rocco that he will win the competition, you would be wrong.
"Kasi walo na lang kami, [at] lahat kami deserving na, lahat kami nag-improve na dahil sa workshops," said Rocco adding that the competition is close. "So hindi na ako puwede mag-relax ngayon, hindi puwedeng lumaki ang ulo—hindi ako puwedeng maging kampante."

Having already won four awards, saan ba balak ni Rocco na mag-improve?

"Sa singing," he answered. With Piero gone, si Steven ang nakikita ni Rocco na threat sa kanya sa area na ito ng industry. "Siyempre, ayaw ko pong pumayag na mayroon pong kukuha ng spotlight pagdating sa singing. So I have to work on [it], para maging ka-level ko si Steven; and para rin po sa akn, as an artista, dapat maging well-rounded rin."

Nina Kodaka, more energy ang hanap

"Pakiramdam ko, last chance ko na 'tong week." Nina noted na hindi na masyadong nabi-bring up ng council ang lack of energy niya, which she doesn't see as a good thing. "Para sa kanila siguro, nakakasawa na [ang] kakasabi sa akin na walang energy."

Having grown up surrounded in Japanese culture, hirap talaga si Nina na maging as gregarious as the other girls. Pero, bukod pa dito, Nina also shared. "Ang sabi sa akin ng nanay ko, mahirap talaga akong magkaroon ng energy, kasi hindi ko character na sobrang hyper." And if she forces herself to be more energetic, Nina is afraid na baka isipin ng mga tao na over-acting siya.

She did get tips from her mother though on what to do; "Sabi ng nanay ko, bibilisan ko 'yung salita ko, tapos lalakasan ko 'yung boses ko, at dapat clear 'yung mga sinasabi ko." And Nina hopes this will help her stay in the competition longer.

Ian Batherson works on being confident

Ian was one of the lucky ones last week na maraming natuwa sa kanyang pinakitang performances – from The Sweet Life hosts who found him charming, Kyla who thinks he's a good duet partner, and he even got good points from his acting test!

"Parang last week I stepped it up a lot," Ian said. Ngayon he is hoping to repeat his performance last week and even exceed it with a bit more confidence. "Yung dati, parang I was just floating around. Parang hindi ako talaga confident. Pero ngayon, mas malaki na 'yung fan base ko; nakita nila I'm doing my best, binibigay ko 'yung lahat, [at] inaayos ko na 'yung Tagalog ko. I gave it my all, kasi alam ko I'm skating on thin ice."

This week ay ibibinigay na niya ang lahat. When asked kung ano ang game plan niya , he replied: "To just keep the momentum going, [and] just hope for the best."

Diva Montelaba, spiritually prepared

Diva is spiritually prepared—pero, she added, "when I talk about the competition, hindi ko pa alam kung ganoon ako ka-prepared. As much as I could [though], I will do what I can. Ginagawa ko naman [and] makikita din naman ‘yan."

Sabi nga ni Diva, this week's challenges will show the viewing public kung handang-handa na ba talaga siya.

Being second to Rocco sa pagtanggap ng awards, we ask Diva kung saan pa ba niya kailangan ng improvement. Ang sagot niya? "Hosting." She revealed that she's hosted live shows, "with adlibs and everything." Pero when it comes to talk shows daw, "inaamin ko, hindi ako magaling. General kasi ‘yan e: mga talk shows, mga sit-in interviews. Doon ako magfo-focus more."


Steven Silva, thankful sa Factor 3

Bucking the trend sa mga natitirang contenders, Steven admitted na, "I don't think I'm prepared yet."

"I know, para sa akin, I just need to be ready, and to just keep preparing [and] improving myself." For Steven kasi, once he stops trying to improve, then he's going to lose. "So araw-araw, I need to make sure I'm doing my best to improve."

With the competition getting tougher, hindi na nagtatago si Steven sa mga batikos ng tao. He's accepted that if it weren't for Factor 3, he would've been the one voted out last week. "I know it's a blessing," he tells us. At ngayon, "I just have to do so much better than last time. I did bad last week, but it's inspiration—I have to do better. Kasi if I don't, it's no more StarStruck for me."

Rox Montealegre, believes everything is possible

Rox comes clean that when she entered the competition she was not prepared at all. "I'm not prepared in the sense na hindi naman ako dumaan sa mahabang voice lessons like them, or unlike Diva na performer na po ever since." Rox says she doesn't have any formal training or lessons, "pero naniniwala po ako na walang imposible."

She adds na in the recent weeks, lalo raw lumalakas ang loob niya dahil nakikita niya sa kanyang sarili that she's improving after every task. "Napatanuyan ko sa sarili ko na mayroon akong talent."

Depression is a problem for Rox, she admits. Especially before nang hindi niya maiwasan i-compare ang kakulangan niya sa kagalingan ng mga kasama niya. "Pero na-realize ko din na it's not about 'yung preparations mo, or experiences mo." For Rox, what matters is determination. "So ngayon po talaga, hindi ko lang ibibigay ang todo—gagawin ko po ang lahat."

Enzo Pineda, laging affected

Enzo came close to being eliminated last week, kaya naman todo pasasalamat siya kay God for being given a second chance.

"I have a lot to improve," inamin ni Enzo. In dancing, kahit na alam niyang forte niya ito, he knows hindi lang siya puwedeng magpabaya; and that's not mentioning acting and singing. "There's always room for improvement; [and this] encourages me to push myself more." Dagdag pa niya, "ito po talaga 'yung gusto ko. Ito po talaga 'yung love ko. At ayaw ko pong mawala itong dream ko na 'to."

And after escaping elimination last week, one thing is clearer than ever kay Enzo: "I know na everything happens for a reason. Nandito na ako sa StarStruck Top 8 [and] sobrang thankful ako. Alam ko kaya ko ‘yan—just trust in myself and God will do the rest."


Sarah Lahbati, willing to take risks

Sarah may seem strong on television, pero inamin sa amin ng dalaga that she's actually very vulnerable. "Kasi minsan, nakakarinig ako ng negative comments about me, sobrang nada-down agad ako." She admits that this actually affects her performances, "so kailangan hindi ako magpa-apekto sa mga naririnig ko."

Ngayong malapit nang matapos ang competiton, Sarah says ibibigay na niya ang lahat. "Ang dami-dami nang nag-audition dito; blessed ako and thankful [na] sa dinamidami ng nag-audition, apat na lang kaming girls [ngayon]. So kailangan ayusin."

Now, Sarah tells us na wala nang second thoughts as she prepares to take a leap of faith. "Wala nang 'yes or no.' Yes na talaga. Todo na 'to, laban na 'to."

Palapit na nang palapit ang Final Judgment ng StarStruck V! Don't miss the daily happenings sa kanilang quest to be the next Ultimate Survivors every day sa StarStruck ShoutOut. Catch it before Eat Bulaga, after Kaya Kong Abutin ang Langit and after Full House.

At siyempre pa, don't miss the weekly round-up of what happened every Saturday pagkatapos ng Pinoy Records, and the elimination night on Sunday, pagkatapos ng Kap's Amazing Stories. - Jason John Lim, iGMA