Survivor Philippines - Deviations

Deviations

While the show was aired on a daily basis rather than once a week, all elements of the Survivor franchise were otherwise present. The show uses the theme music for the British version composed by Russ Landau, who made the Ancient Voices series of theme scores for the American version. It has further been re-arranged and added with tribal and ethnic flavors by local Filipino composer Diwa de Leon and chant vocals were performed by Evan Britanico.

One unique difference in this franchise is in the status of castaways who are evacuated to the hospital nearest to the setting of the game. Instead of being declared as eliminated at the point of evacuation, a castaway being sent to the hospital due to apparent injury or ailment is reminded to return to the game within 24 hours; otherwise, they are officially declared as eliminated from the game. One exception was with Survivor Philippines: Celebrity Doubles Showdown castaway, Stef Prescott, who had been brought to a hospital in Manila after she was bitten by a Philippine cobra at Bulan camp. She was on treatment and observation for two days. Throughout the two day absence from the game, she missed the actual Tribal Shuffle twist, a Tribal Immunity Challenge, and a Tribal Council. She came back on Day 13. Of the eight castaways across four seasons so far who were sent to the hospital with this reminder, all returned to the game, with one (Niña Ortiz from the first season) deciding to leave soon after her return from the hospital due to injury.

Another deviation in this franchise is the choice of the merge name, which is done beforehand by the producers. The merged tribe's name normally follows the naming pattern of those of the initial competing tribes. Many other Survivor versions usually let members of the new merged tribe make up their new tribal name.

In another deviation, the reunion specials were pre-recorded and were aired in the first Sunday after the final results were announced, which commonly happened in Fridays. One exception was with the reunion special of the fourth season, to be aired in the second Sunday after the live finale. In the American editions, the reunion special is usually aired live immediately after the final results are announced.