MANILA, Philippines?A female construction worker from Alaska tops GMA 7?s reality show ?Survivor Philippines: Palau,? winning P3 million, tax-free.

Filipino-American Amanda Colley Van Cooll was described by fellow Top Three finalists Jef Gaitan and Justine Ferrer as the ?biggest threat? among them.

City girl-model Jef said that all of them were ?equal in terms of abilities, but Amanda had the edge, in terms of strategy.?

Transsexual beauty queen Justine explained: ?Amanda?s very quiet. It?s hard to catch her...to figure out what was on her mind.?

Host Paolo Bediones said that Amanda lives up to her name. ?She?s cool. Engaging. She?s one of the boys.?

Minutes after her victory on Friday, Amanda told Inquirer Entertainment that she has no plans of returning to the construction site anytime soon. ?I loved my job, but I?m already 25 years old. I want to stay in the Philippines and check out the opportunities.?

She?s not averse to joining show biz, post-?Survivor.? ?I?m open to acting, but I prefer hosting a show similar to ?Born to be Wild? which will allow me to travel and spend time outdoors.?

She previously earmarked her winnings for the construction of a chicken farm. ?But now I want to build a resort in my family?s property in Marble Mountain, near Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro.?

She plans to construct five cottages in the mountain hideaway that?s only 4 kilometers away from the beach.

She also wished to pay off some debts and build a home for her American dad Lloyd and Filipino mother Arceli and two brothers. ?I hope to treat them to a family vacation. The last time we had a holiday together was when I was 8 years old.?

Her parents and 21-year-old brother Ashton attended the show?s finals last Friday. (Her 16-year-old brother is in school in Alaska.)

Amanda obviously loves her parents who somehow figured in a heated on-air confrontation between her and Justine.

Justine eventually apologized to Amanda?s family in last Friday?s finale.

?As of this moment, there?s no awkwardness between me and Justine,? Amanda said. ?I know that she didn?t mean what she said about my family. She was just caught in the heat of the moment. In any case, she had apologized publicly.?

She thought Justine, who placed second, was a formidable competitor. ?Justine did an awesome job in ?Isla Purgatoryo.? It?s just that she broke down in the last few days of the competition.?

She was similarly impressed with Jef?s performance. ?We were close in Palau. I?m proud of her. She?s a city girl, but she tried her best to cope on the island.?

When she heard her name called as big winner, ?I thought I was going to faint. I tried not to be emotional...but I?m such a crybaby.?

E-mail bayanisandiego@hotmail.com.