REMEDIOS Chaves of Lubao, Pampanga prayed hard that she would be chosen as a Sugod-Bahay winner when “Eat Bulaga’s Juan for All, All for Juan” came to her barangay last July.
The reason: She wanted to see her son Lito, a tattoo artist based in East Timor, whom she had not seen for 16 years.
They would only communicate occasionally via email, and only through his cousins. Clearly, Remedios was longing for her son since her husband passed away.
Remedios saw “Juan for All, All for Juan” as her only means to finally be reunited with her son. And Lito, whom “Eat Bulaga” was unable to contact at first, found out his mother became a Sugod-Bahay winner thanks to a fellow Filipino in East Timor who saw the episode on the internet.
“Eat Bulaga” did not disappoint Remedios. Not only was she able to talk to Lito via a video call days after her Sugod-Bahay win, the noontime show even sent her to East Timor, where she stayed for 15 days.
Their lives have changed since then, thanks to “Eat Bulaga.” Remedios now has a small sari-sari store in Pampanga as a means of livelihood. Meanwhile, Lito returned to the Philippines two weeks after his mother’s visit in East Timor.
He has decided to stay here for good.
“Malaking bagay. Malaking tulong ang ‘Eat Bulaga.’ Binuo niya ang pamilya namin,” Remedios said. “Parang Pasko araw-araw.”
This is the sentiment of the winners of “Juan for All, All for Juan.” Not only has the show helped give entertainment and joy to various communities in the Philippines. It has also made many viewers, especially contestants from depressed areas in the country, feel that Christmas can come everyday, right in front of their doorsteps.
“Juan for All, All for Juan” began as an “Eat Bulaga” segment in February 2009, with hosts Ruby Rodriguez and Wally Bayola going to different barangays every day. It started out as a simple “Bring Me” game, where the hosts at Broadway Centrum who tell the viewer-contestants what items to give Ruby and Wally in order to win prizes.
The segment eventually evolved. Now, “Juan for All, All for Juan” is the heart of “Eat Bulaga,” thanks mostly to its Sugod-Bahay portion, where the “Eat Bulaga” mainstays get to personally interact with the segment winners in their homes without fail, rain or shine. Current segment hosts Wally, Jose Manalo, Paolo Ballesteros, and Maine Mendoza agree that “Juan for All, All for Juan” is special for everyone involved.
Jose, who grew up in Tondo, Manila, said he enjoys spending time with the people outside “Eat Bulaga.”
Maine, the latest addition to the “Eat Bulaga” family, joined the show via “Juan for All, All for Juan.” “Dito ako nagsimula.’’
The TV host-actress said she personally chose to do “Juan for All, All for Juan” instead of doing hosting duties at the “Eat Bulaga” studio.