Melai Cantiveros is the Big Winner of Pinoy Big Brother

Double Up
By Jocelyn Dimaculangan & Erwin Santiago

Inday Kengkay of GenSan Melisa "Melai"

Cantiveros (in photo, with Toni Gonzaga)
was adjudged the Big Winner of Pinoy Big
Brother Double Up. Melai got the most
number of text votes over 2nd Big Placer
Paul Jake Castillo, 3rd Big Placer Jason
Francisco, 4th Big Placer Johan Santos, and
5th Big Placer Tibo Jumalon.

After spending 19 weeks under the closely

monitored Big Brother house, Melai
Cantiveros was proclaimed the Big Winner
during the "Big Date on the Big Night" of
Pinoy Big Brother Double Up held earlier
tonight, February 13, at the Ninoy Aquino
Stadium.

Melisa, the lone woman in the Big 5, got the most number of text votes that
enabled her to beat the four male finalists—Paul Jake Castillo, Jason Francisco, Johan
Santos, and Steve "Tibo" Jumalon.

Melai, tagged as the Inday Kengkay of GenSan, got 1,226,692 votes or 32.08
percent of the total votes. Paul Jake, the Negosyo Prince of Cebu, was the 2nd Big
Placer with 1,044,295 votes or 27.31 percent. Jason, the Boy Astig ng Mindoro, was
the 3rd Big Placer with 954,961 votes or 24.97 percent of the total votes. Johan, the
Cutie Server ng QC, was the 4th Big Placer with 303,751 votes or 7.94 percent of
the total votes. Tibo, the Dad of Steel ng Cagayan, was the 5th Big Placer with
294,161 votes or 7.69 percent of the total votes.

Instead of having just four housemates on the Big Night, the organizers decided that
the Big Five will battle it out for the chance to win the prizes in store for the Big
Winner.

During their stay inside the PBB house, the Melai-Jason team became very popular
and their tandem is now commonly called Melason. The two became a couple a few
days before the Big Night.

As the Big Winner, Melai won a cash prize of P1 million, a P2.5 million house and lot,
and a 40-inch LCD TV screen. She will also get to travel with a companion to three
key Asian destinations as well as become the owner of a water refilling station
franchise. In addition, her chosen charity will be able to receive P1 million cash.
The runners-up, on the other hand, will get the following cash prizes: P500,000 for
the 2nd Big Placer, P300,000 for the 3rd Big Placer, P200,000 for the 4th Big Placer,
and P100,000 for the 5th Big Placer. Aside from this, they will also take home
laptops and their chosen charitable institutions will receive the same amount that
they've won.

Tibo and Johan picked House With Little Steps Foundation, Jason chose San Isidro
Elementary School, Paul Jake chose Special Child Association of Cebu Foundation,
Inc., and Melai chose Substitute Home for Girls.

The third edition of Pinoy Big Brother was known as Double Up for having two
houses, two sets of housemates as well as introducing twins during the first few
weeks. During this edition, a Big Brother Swap took place wherein Cathy Remperas
was sent to Big Brother Finland for a few days. In exchange, Kattlin Laas of Finland
entered the PBB house and became particularly close to Hermes Bautista.

This edition also marked the first time that a married couple entered the PBB house
together. Jimson Ortega was eliminated early on during the show while Kath
Lopeña-Ortega was one of the last housemates to be evicted before the Big Night.

Previously eliminated housemates were Delio Dimaculangan, Yuri Okawa, Yhel

Punzalan, Cathy Remperas, Carol Batay, Hermes Bautista, Riza Mae Patria, Patrick
Villanueva, Rica Paras, Rob Stumvoll and Tom Rodriguez.

The last housemates introduced to the public were Sam Pinto and Rocky
Salumbides.

Before the announcement of the winners, it was also revealed that the third season
of PBB Teen Edition called "Clash of 2010" will start this summer.

Peformers in the Big Date on the Big Night include ex-PBB Double Up housemates
Charice Pempengco, Bugoy Drilon, Jay-R Siaboc, Teddy of Rocksteddy, Mark
Bautista, Yeng Constantino, Sheryn Regis, Charlie Green, VIP Dancers, the cast of
Rubi (Angelica Panganiban, Diether Ocampo, Jake Cuenca and Shaina Magdayao),
Jabbawockeez, and PBB Teen Edition winner Kim Chiu.

Pinoy Big Brother Double Up was hosted by Toni Gonzaga, Mariel Rodriguez, and
Bianca Gonzales.