MANILA, Philippines?Type A personalities.

That sums up what producers are looking for in the 16 ?castaways? (contestants), says Paolo Bediones, host of the Philippine version of the world-famous reality show ?Survivor? on GMA 7.

?We want aggressive and assertive people,? he notes. ?There?s no room for the meek and faint-hearted. But go-getters may be perceived by others as threats, and can be voted off at once.?

Strategy is the name of the game, the host says. ?Is it wise to shine at once or to stay under the radar first? There?s a lot of psychology involved.?

Local motto

The Filipino version of the international franchise?s motto (?Outwit, Outplay, Outlast) says it all: ?Pautakan, Pagalingan, Patatagan.?

?But don?t get us wrong ? we don?t encourage lying, stealing, cheating, or any form of manipulation,? Bediones explains. ?Colluding with another contestant and acts of violence can get you booted out of the island.?

Ah, the island.

Bediones says the first season of ?Survivor Philippines? will be set on a remote isle somewhere in East Asia, ?a two-hour boat ride away from the nearest ?civilized? area.?

At press time, he isn?t at liberty to reveal the exact location, but he gives plenty of clues: ?It?s dangerous terrain? snakes and crocodiles on land, sea urchins and sharks in the ocean. The biggest challenge is, we?ll be taping in the middle of monsoon season.?

He adds that there?ll be a medical team, as well as a boat and chopper on standby for emergency evacuations.

There?s a well for drinking water but, for food, the castaways will be left to fend for themselves.

Bediones will be afforded slightly better living conditions. ?I?ll be staying in an abandoned resort? no air-conditioning, no telephones or Internet access, but I?ll have a satellite phone.?

That?s the only connection he?ll have with the outside world, says Bediones, but he?s planning to chronicle everything in a video blog to be posted on the show?s official web site.

As for the 16 castaways (8 men and 8 women), total isolation is required. ?They are not even allowed to converse or have eye contact with the production crew throughout the 39-day stay.?

According to Bediones, Julia Dick, British consultant from Castaway Productions (franchise holder of ?Survivor?), commended the Pinoy team for its quick pre-production process and the varied results of seven auditions held all over the country.

Cross-section

?The show?s production bible specifies at least nine months of preparation, but Julia gave us the go-signal after barely four months,? he recalls. ?She was also impressed by the wide array of potential contestants.?

Bediones estimates that over 30,000 auditioned in Davao, Cebu, Iloilo, Dagupan, Baguio, SM North Edsa and SM Manila.

?Among those who auditioned were a farmer, a hooker, former drug addicts, plenty of nurses, hairdressers, students?an interesting cross section,? Bediones recounts. ?We also had a taxi driver, who?s a single dad, and a cross-dressing lawyer.?

(E-mail: bayanisandiego@hotmail.com)