BUHAWI MENESES is the most recent castaway ousted from “Survivor Philippines Celebrity Edition”. Is he aware that a lot of viewers look at him as a contravida for having earlier voted out Doc Ferdz who could have been an asset to their tribe? “I am,” he says. “I know maraming viewers, galit sa akin, but for me, ang important naman, alam ko yung totoo. I was voted as the leader of the tribe, pero si Doc Ferdz, very aggressive, very assertive. Leader type kasi siya kaya kapag may meeting, he acts agad like he’s the leader when I’m supposed to be the leader. I really feel na tama ang naging decision ko. But sa editing kasi, marami ring bagay na hindi napapakita so I don’t expect viewers to fully understand me. Basta ako, wala akong pagsisisi in joining ‘Survivor’ kasi nag-enjoy talaga ako, pati sa staff and crew. Kami naman ni Doc Ferdz, okay na ngayon. Tinawagan ko nga siya kung gusto niyang sakyan namin ang pag-aaway namin, but he said no need to do that. Friends na kami.”
How did he join “Survivor”? “Noong first season pa lang, I already auditioned but di nila ko sinama kasi nga member ako ng Parokya ni Edgar as bassist. So ngayon, sa Celebrity Edition, I tried again at nakuha na ako.”
Born on June 4, 1976, he was only 21 when he joined Parokya in 1997. How did his co-band members feel about his stint in “Survivor”? “Very supportive naman sila. Nataon walang gig ang banda while I was in Thailand. But now, we’re about to launch our newest album doon sa Liquid Bar ni Angel Locsin sa Don Antonio.”
So is their vocalist Chito Miranda really on now with Angel? “I asked him about that and he said friends lang talaga sila.” And Chito is off with Kaye Abad? “I don’t know. Nakikita ko, lumalabas pa rin sila lagi, e.”
Buhawi is married to Foebe who used to be with Startalk and they have two sons, Zephyr (which means strong wind, like Buhawi) and Zayd (meaning: abundance.)
