KC's game of a lifetime

Two heads are better than one. That’s why KC Montero had the Herculean task of working harder and doubly watching his back when partner-teammate Geneva Cruz made an early exit from GMA 7’s Survivor Philippines: Celebrity Doubles Showdown due to some personal reason.

KC is left alone showing his worth to other castaways every day and has managed to survive the inevitable tribal councils and weekly elimination. He has also proven that sometimes it’s better to think things over alone — with one clear mind. Perhaps, this is KC’s secret of having gained the respect of his alliances and adjusted to the primitive lifestyle on the island. Without Geneva, KC is alone but never lonely. He seems to enjoy the ultimate game of his life.

“There were pros and cons of her leaving,” shares KC. “The bad part, first, was we were couples and everybody had a built-in alliance within their partners. I didn’t have a partner… If we lost a challenge, it would be easier for castaways to just vote me out. So I didn’t have a partner. I was all alone... They had the numbers though. I was always worried about that. The good part was I didn’t also have anybody to look after. I was on my own. I didn’t have to watch for my partner’s back. I didn’t have to worry about her. It was just me.”

KC Montero: I have to make a choice once in a while that will go against someone’s trust

If there’s anything that KC has realized, doing Survivor on some remote island and watching it on TV at home are two different experiences.

“(By) watching it on TV, you don’t really know what people are going through,” he says. “Watching it as someone who is in the game is even more different. There are a lot of things you still can’t see. If they are going to show everything, it needs one whole year to show that.”

Asked if his expectations of the reality show have been met, the Survivor fan replies, “I want to say it isn’t difficult though. Survivor isn’t that really hard for me. It’s the condition and the food. That’s the easy stuff. The hard part is the social game — the trusting people, the back-stabbing people… Before, I thought I could play the game totally straight. I can but I have to make one choice once in a while that will go against someone’s trust.”

Although he is zoned in the endurance aspect of Survivor, KC can’t help but feel sad sometimes.

“Actually, I didn’t show it,” recalls KC. “The time Aki(hiro Sato) was there… I was low and I couldn’t eat that day. I tried to eat rice. I was just in my shelter. I was lying there. I don’t know if I was depressed. Wala akong gana for anything. Maybe, it was the only time I was emotional.”

Among the remaining castaways, KC considers Gino dela Peña, John Odulio and Arnold Aninion his closest competitors. They seem to be ones who are built to be the Sole Survivor bringing home the P3M at stake. “Gino is an alliance within an alliance,” shares KC. “Me and Gino are aligned within our alliance. Arnold is thinking a lot and making things happen. If you wanted that box, he would go grab it. Me, I would find another way to get it. I’m just hanging on, observing what is going on and adapting.”

Are we going to see KC in the season finale? “I hope,” he quickly replies. I will (join the Survivor all-star edition). It’s fun. The hard part is the social aspect of (the game) making lies to people.”

Below, KC shares his life on the island:

Daytime — We wake up as soon as the sun comes up. You never really sleep straight. You are always up. You sleep maybe two hours or three hours. I’m in charge of taking care of the fire. I have to make sure everything is running right. We would wake up in the morning around 5 or 6. And I would keep the fire going. I walk around and grab fire wood. And everyone else would wake up and start cooking. We cook buko and decide what kind of rice we’re gonna make. We go and try to find some crab. We just wait (what we’re gonna do for the day). We have to make sure the alliances are put together without everybody seeing us.

With Geneva Cruz, his partner-teammate who made an early exit from GMA 7’s Survivor Philippines: Celebrity Doubles Showdown

Meal Time — The worst meal I ever had happened in Day One. It was the salt water rice. Sobrang alat. As I was eating it, I said to myself, “Is this what we’re going to have to eat for the whole time?” I ate a big sand worm. We just made it barbeque.

I had the best food during the merge feast. Everyone had his own choice (of food). Mine was pizza. Every single day, I ask for pizza. I dreamt of pizza. I even had nightmares of pizza. At the merge feast, everybody got what he wanted. Some asked for batchoy or Japanese dish. That was the best because we shared (with others what we had). Gino had big burgers.

After each challenge — We go back to the camp where we chat about what happened during the challenge. We congratulate the winner telling him “You did a good job.” Sometimes, we are also figuringj8 out where we are at the game. Sometimes, you have to give things to your tribe mates. Sometimes, people don’t get anything. You have to, I guess, fix those relationships to make sure (we do better next time). If you win a challenge, be humble.