Unang-una na, noong August 12, nagkaroon ng mukha ang mga participant from the National Capital Region (NCR). Aba, ’di lang sila mga tipong artista, mukhang mga palaban pa! ‘Wag lang po sana silang pasaway.

Tonight, ang mga napili sa regional at global auditions naman ang ating masisilayan.

Naitanong nga pala namin kay direk Lauren Dyogi, overall in-charge sa programa, kung marunong bang mag-Tagalog ang mga contestant from abroad.

Ayon kasi sa kanya, ni-recruit nila ang mga ito from Milan, Australia, London, Dubai and North America (kung saan may The Filipnio Channel o TFC).

Ang maliksing sagot ni Lauren: “Aba, oo, at matatas silang managalog.”

Isa raw sa mga contestant, ay isang OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker). Like the rest of the contestants na ’di taga-Metro Manila, pinamasahihan ito ng ABS- CBN para makarating dito. They are all housed sa isang magandang tirahan. Maganda rin ang iskul na papasukan ng mga “scholar” na ito.

Located close to the Pinoy Big Brother (PBB) house, it has all the amenities na makikita sa regular school. May classroom, may gym at may canteen called Kuya’s Cafeteria.

Ang line-up ng trabaho is a dream come true for the students na nagnanais pumasok sa showbiz.

Consider: Moy Ortiz, singer, songwriter, arranger and member of the vocal group The Company, assigned to teach student various singing techniques. Who wouldn’t want to be taught magsayaw ng ace choreographer na si Maribeth Bichara? Well, the PDA students will have no less than Maribeth as dance teacher.

A much-admired dancer herself, Maribeth belongs to an affluent family in Bicol, who used to frown on her choice of profession. But now, they are extremely proud of her accomplishments.

Maribeth is the younger sister of Al Bichara, former Albay governor and currently Philippine ambassador sa Lebanon.

Will Maribeth join politics in time? Kasi, sabi nga, if she does, she can just dance all her way to any political position she wants.

Who is not familiar with Gretchen Malalad, naging SEA Games medalist sa karate and a former PBB celebrity housemate? Well, kay Gretchen natoka ang pagtuturo ng physical fitness sa PDA students.

Remember kung sino ang naging best friend ni Gretchen habang nasa Bahay ni Kuya? Si Aleck Bovick, ’di ba? Well, madalas pa din daw silang mag-usap at magkita ni Aleck. Tantiya niya, five months on the family way na si Aleck, courtesy of businessman cum actor, Carlo Maceda.

Gretchen said she no longer works sa military. Posible rin na magkaroon siya ng sports and fitness show sa Dos.

She’s now one of the four regular teachers in “Pinoy Dream Academy”. She will be teaching physical fitness to the 16 PDA scholars. Jim Paredes has come from Sydney, Australia where he now lives to be the academy’s headmaster or principal. Moy Ortiz of the Company will be teaching music and voice lessons while Maribeth Bichara will teach them the various forms of dance. There will be extra teachers to handle other subjects like acting, public relations, etc.

“We chose Gretchen to teach fitness as she really teaches martial arts in the gym and taebo to the soldiers in Villamor Air Base,” says PDA director Lauren Dyogi.

“But I’ve suited the curriculum I prepared to the needs of the PDA students,” she adds. “More on cardio exercises para they have greater stamina for singing and dancing.”