4 Filipinos to compete on fifth season of 'Amazing Race Asia'

MANILA, Philippines — AXN on Thursday revealed the 11 teams who will compete for $100,000 on "The Amazing Race Asia Season 5." Pinoy power is strongly represented with two energetic teams: beauty queens, Parul and Maggie, and married couple Rona and Eric.

"We were overwhelmed by the response to our casting call for 'The Amazing Race Asia," Ang Hui Keng, senior vice president and general manager of Sony Pictures Television Networks Asia, said at the official announcement.

"This season's audition videos were creative, witty, clever and very surprising, so it was a tough selection process. We're thrilled with the 11 teams—they embody AXN's brand personality, which is passionate, determined, unexpected and high-octane," he said.

"This is not just a show—it's an adrenaline-fueled adventure for everyone involved, including our viewers."

Beauty queens Parul and Maggie from the Philippines.

Staled to top premiere in October, the fifth installment of the popular reality adventure series will be hosted by Asian-American actor Allan Wu, who was the 'face of the race' for AXN's first four seasons, and most recently, the host of the "The Amazing Race China: Celebrity Edition."

"This season is going to be a huge adrenaline rush and race like no other. The racers and AXN viewers can expect more thrills, more drama and more twists than never before," Wu said. "The teams will be be transformed during the race, for better or worse—but one thing is for sure, it will be the ultimate adventure of a lifetime."

Sharing to the pit-stop and co-hosting with Wu selected legs of the race will be Indonesian movie star Tara Basro, who is 2015 won a Citra Award at the Indonesian Film Festival for Best Leading Actress for her role in "A Copy of My Mind."

Tara's appearance in "The Amazing Race Asia Season 5" marks the first time a co-host has been cast in the series.

"I'm excited to join Allan and the racers on the 'The Amazing Race Asia.' I have always loved the series, and now I get to be up close and right in the heart of the action," she said. "It's also a wonderful opportunity to introduce the teams to some of my favorite destinations in Indonesia."

The 11 chosen teams hail from seven countries across Asia and present a true cast of characters with diverse personalities, background, talents and relationships, including popular Singaporean DJs to Filipino beauty queens. The cast promises viewers a highly entertainming, edge-of-your-seat journey.

The lineup is composed of:

• Rach and Vicky: travel hosts, Indonesia
• Louisa and Treasuri: childhood friends, Indonesia
• Yvonne and Chloe: beauty queens, Malaysia
• Alex and Will: brothers, Malaysia
• Brandon and Alphaeus: old schoolmates, Malaysia
• Eric and Rona: married couple, The Philippines
• Parul and Maggie: beauty queens, the Philippines
• JK and Mike: radio DJs, Singapore
• Rei and Kenji: siblings, Singapore
• Tom and Anita: dating couple, Thailand
• Lisa and Nicole: life partners, Vietnam

Production of "The Amazing Race Asia Season 5 kicks" off next week. Award-winning international production company Profiles Television, founded by globally renowned producers Bertram Van Munster and Elise Doganieri, is producing the series.