You're Hired!

Jonathan Yabut - Asia's very first The Apprentice

It's another momentous day for us Filipinos as a fellow kababayan has been hailed as the first ever winner of Asia's franchise of a popular reality TV show, The Apprentice.

I have been an avid follower of The Apprentice US series ever since its first season debuted in 2004. I just like it so much that I bought myself a DVD copy of all the US seasons' episodes so I could watch it anytime I want to (I also have the copy of Martha Stewart's The Apprentice). What I like most about the said TV show, aside from its brilliant concept, has to be the lessons and advice that its audience takes away that could be applied not only in business, but also in anyone's personal endeavors. Every episode features a segment where Donald Trump discusses about a certain jargon and explains its importance in the business world then relates it to his personal experiences. Truth be told, and I guess fellow TA fans would agree when I say this, watching The Apprentice is like taking an MBA for free. Win-win, huh?

The Donald, as how the candidates would address him, is an effective host as he is an accomplished businessman himself being proclaimed as New York's real estate billionaire. He's eloquent and smart with very impressive business acumen. His personality commands attention that when he talks, everybody listens. He's so well-rounded that he can inject humor in any given situation-even in the toughest boardroom scenarios (reminiscing the verbal sparring match between Jenn and Sandy in Season 2). He's like Midas for everything he touches turns to gold. Well, the last statement was an exaggeration. I was just thinking of Trump Place and Trump Tower and his other buildings; all of which have remarkable touches of gold. Mr. Trump's life isn't all too sweet, though. It's more bitter sweet and sweeter for he's been through highs and lows as well- even to a point that he almost lost everything then rose back again. All these qualities made him the man that he is today and the perfect fit for his role as the host of The Apprentice US.

Donald Trump's Asian counterpart, Tony Fernandes, has a lot of similarities to the former in terms of business credentials. I'm not sure if he's a USD billionaire but he earned his riches from the music and aviation industry under the tutelage of Richard Branson. He introduced the no frills budget airline campaign in Asia even before Cebu Pacific was conceived making him the pioneer at that. Right now, he's involved in several other businesses such as the hotel industry and is still very much on top of his game. I couldn't name any other businessmen of the same caliber who could better fill the role of being The Apprentice Asia's host but so far, he's done a decent job. My only criticism is he's just too stern in the boardroom. He could use some happy pills hehe. I also miss the business advice segment from the US series. Nevertheless, this astute businessman is a keeper for the role that he plays.

When I found out that The Apprentice Asia was to be shown on AXN, I couldn't be any more ecstatic. Finally, I was about to watch my favorite TV show again that will showcase the talents of a more relatable cast. I knew that the candidates from Asia are going to battle it out from the neck which should make it an interesting season. And sure, they did (read: cat fights among the girls).

I followed the first season of The Apprentice Asia from start to finish and accompanied our fellow Pinoy candidates, Celina Le Neindre (30, F&B Consultant) and Jonathan Yabut (27, Sr.Manager for Glaxosmithkline) through their 11-week job interview. I couldn't thank them enough for bringing a lot of Pinoy pride to the show. It's very empowering so to speak. On episode 7, I almost cried when they went head to head as PMs as I knew that one of them was about to be fired. Celina's emotional departure paved a way for Jonathan to solely hoist the Filipino flag to the finish when he made history today for being crowned as Tony Fernandes's The Apprentice. He shall be assigned to lead one of Tony's companies (TBD) with a 1 year contract worth $100,000.

It's definitely an uphill battle for Jonathan for he had to surpass quite a number of road bumps and sever proverbial hiccups along the process. Coming from a losing streak which affected his track records and raising a lower amount of funds on their final task, he trailed behind his competitor, Andreah Loh (25, Civil Litigation Lawyer from Singapore), certainly undermining his chances to win. Despite the dismal result in numbers, it was evident that Mr. Fernandes recognized quality over quantity in identifying who's going to be his apprentice. 

Good thing that it was during the last task when Jonathan really shined. His leadership was exposed immensely when he sailed his team to victory as manifested through the success of the charity event that he/they organized. Overall, our fellow Pinoy's intellectual & verbal prowess, sheer determination and burning passion that he successfully exuded from the get go are several qualities that earned him the spot of becoming Asia's The Apprentice. It's noteworthy that he totally rocked the Barong Tagalog while he delivered his welcoming speech to the charity attendees. It was a real proud Pinoy moment for the win!

Jonathan is truly an inspiration to us Pinoys. His journey is a mere testament that we must not plant our minds with the unhealthy mindset that being less privileged is a disadvantage. Rather, we should take it as our own advantage to prove to ourselves and to the rest of the world that we can rise above any challenge to be thrown at us. It's about time that every Filipino makes a mark in this world and it should start today. 

Well-deserved.*slow clap*

Above is a screen cap of our exchange via Twitter to show my appreciation of and how proud I am of our brotherman. 

To every Filipino, or every person who feels challenged in any way, have you thought of making a mark in this world? Make everyday count and don't forget to dream big!

Stay Happy and Proud,

Khaye :)