Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (abbreviated as WW2BAM, informally called as Milyonaryo) was a Philippine game show based on the original British format of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?. The main goal of the game is to win 2 million Philippine pesos (earlier 1 million) by answering 12 multiple-choice (previously 15) questions correctly. If an incorrect answer is given, the contestant will leave with the guaranteed amount in the last safe haven they have correctly answered. However, a contestant may opt not to answer a question and walk away with their full winnings. Contestants are given various "lifelines" to help them answer the questions.
The show first aired from November 13, 2000 until December 14, 2002, on the government-sequestered channel IBC. It was produced by Viva Television and hosted by actor Christopher de Leon. This incarnation of the show ran until December 14, 2002.
On May 23, 2009, the game show was revived by TV5, with actor-host-comedian Vic Sotto as the new host. The show ran until November 22, 2015.
History
2000–2002: Viva/IBC Version
The first version of the show was hosted by the actor Christopher de Leon. The first season of the original Millionaire, which began on November 13, 2000, had its 15th question prize of ₱1,000,000. In 2001, the final question's prize was doubled to ₱2,000,000.
The show lost its popularity soon after its studio, the Viva Television Studio in Parañaque, was destroyed by a fire due to faulty wiring on April 4, 2002, and the show moved to Riverbanks Center in Marikina. The final episode of this incarnation aired on December 14, 2002.
The show was featured in the 2002 film Mahal Kita, Final Answer, produced by Viva Films, with de Leon on a cameo role.
2009–2015: TV5 Version
In April 2009, promotional videos and content about the comeback of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? started airing on TV5. Vic Sotto was announced as the host of the show.
The revival began airing on May 23, 2009. Following the network move, the show was taped in a new set at the TV5 Complex in Novaliches, Quezon City and used the updated graphics, title sequence, and music from the 22nd series of the original UK version. It premiered as a celebrity special, featuring 10 celebrities as contestants in the Fastest Finger First—Ara Mina, Mo Twister, Manilyn Reynes, Polo Ravales, Megan Young, Jay Manalo, Nadia Montenegro, Rafael Rosell, Gladys Reyes, and Assunta De Rossi.
The Fastest Finger Finger round which determined the contestant who be playing was removed in favor of auditioning through text entry and mall shows starting season 6. Producers now have a predetermined list of contestants from the auditions.
This incarnation of the show featured different money tree and lifeline formats. The last episode was aired on November 22, 2015.
Top prize winners
Throughout the original run on IBC, no contestant completed the game by answering all fifteen questions correctly. There were two contestants who came the closest—De La Salle University associate professor Amelita Lopez-Forbes, and actress Sharon Cuneta on December 25—who each answered 14 questions correctly and won a million pesos in 2001.
In the TV5 incarnation, there were 3 contestants who have won the top prize.
Sharon Cuneta (January 9, 2010)
Sharon Cuneta had previously played in the IBC version of Millionaire and walked away at question 15 with ₱1,000,000, splitting her winnings equally in thirds—for the San Lorenzo Ruiz Formation and Learning Center, for the Chosen Children Foundation, and for the sick daughter of her colleague.
On January 9, 2010, three days after her birthday, Cuneta once again played on the show and won ₱2,000,000, making her the first top prize winner in the Philippine franchise's history. All of the money she won was donated to the Hospicio de San Jose. Coincidentally, the 13th question in her game was about the name of the island where the orphanage is located, Isla de Convalecencia. The final question was about William Shakespeare's work, Macbeth.
Karl Jonathan Aguilar (September 18, 2011)
On September 18, 2011, the Philippine version gained its second top prize winner: IT specialist Karl Jonathan Aguilar. The final question was about the name of the Index Librorum Prohibitorum. He did not use his lifelines up to the 13th question worth ₱600,000. When his last lifeline, Phone-A-Friend, was used during the final question; his friend suggested one of the wrong answers.
Eduardo Gaeilo Pajinag, Jr. (October 20, 2013)