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“Ang sarap maging Pinoy”: Melai Cantiveros on witnessing Filipino talent shine in PGT Season 7

Article (news)

Liezel Dela Cruz

As someone who’s witnessed the journey of every act from the Judges’ Auditions all the way to the much-anticipated Grand Finals of &quot;<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/pilipinas-got-talent-7" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Pilipinas Got Talent</a>&quot; Season 7, host Melai Cantiveros feels nothing pride for Filipino talent. “Ang sarap maging Pinoy,” she gushed, realizing how many Pinoys have kept their skills hidden for so long but have finally been given the chance to show what they can do.Melai finds it rewarding be part of a show that celebrates all kinds of talent and shines a spotlight on the impressive range of what Filipinos are capable of.Aside from getting to witness world-class Filipino talent on stage, one thing that makes her “PGT” hosting stint even more meaningful for her is getting to work with the Power Judges — Freddie “FMG” Garcia, Eugene Domingo, Kathryn Bernardo, Donny Pangilinan—as well as her co-host Robi Domingo. During her Kapamilya Chat interview, Melai shared a bit about their off-cam dynamic, which she described as “divine,” saying her “PGT” family makes the experience feel light and easy because they’re grounded in faith and respectful toward everyone.&quot;Bago kami mag-start nagpe-pray kami.&quot; She added, &quot;Iba &#x27;yung bonding namin. We have so much respect for each other. At ang mga judges natin, heart ang pinapakita sa ating mga contestants kasi kung hindi heart ang pinapakita mo, matatakot sa&#x27;yo ang performers.&quot; She meant the judges&#x27; warm energy helps the performers feel more at ease and confident on stage.Melai also revealed that hosting with Robi has been such a riot and there are just moments when they completely lose it laughing at her jokes that come out naturally even when she&#x27;s not trying. There are even times when it&#x27;s hard not to say something funny during serious parts of the show like the announcement segments, but thankfully Robi manages to steer things back on track. It helps that they’ve already hosted a lot of shows together and that they’re friends off cam. &quot;Barkada kasi kami kaya minsan tinginan pa lang alam na namin na nakakatawa. Pero thank you, Lord, kasi kaibigan ko rin ‘yung kasama ko, hindi na kami nahihirapan na kakapa pa sa isa&#x27;t isa,&quot; said Melai. Now that the acts have been trimmed down to the final eight, Melai left a message for the Grand Finalists. “Galingan n’yo! Kung sino man sa inyo ang magiging Grand Winner, congratulations in advance; you deserve it. At sa lahat ng eight acts, kayo ang nasala at kayo ang pinakamagaling na nakita natin dito sa ‘Pilipinas Got Talent.’ So, panalo na kayo sa mata ng mga Pilipino.” Melai pressed that whatever the result is, it doesn’t take away from the fact that all eight acts did an amazing job, adding how proud she is of all the performers who gave their all on the “PGT” stage from start to finish.And what makes this season’s Grand Finals extra exciting is that we&#x27;re going to witness a variety of genres and artistry coming together on one stage. The eight Grand Finalists performing on June 21 and 22 at The Theatre at Solaire Resort are Ody Sto. Domingo, Femme MNL, Cardong Trumpo, Jessie J, Manza, Carl Quion, NDDU GNRLS, and JB Bangcaya.Catch the Grand Finals airing at 7:15 PM this June 21 and June 22 on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live (KOL), and A2Z. Viewers can also tune in via TV5 at 7:15 on Saturday and 7:45 PM on Sunday.

Melai Cantiveros shares what makes her “Pilipinas Got Talent” hosting experience special.

Melai Cantiveros shares what makes her “Pilipinas Got Talent” hosting experience special.