Another week brings another fun and exciting episode of the hit digital talk show “Kuan on One” with Kuantie Melai Cantiveros-Francisco. This time, Filipina-Japanese actress Iwa Moto opens up about her Bisaya roots and the life experiences that have shaped her journey. Now transitioning from a TV personality to an online seller, Iwa has built a growing audience by offering beauty, fashion, and personal care products.
Melai asked Iwa how she deals with the ups and downs of being an online seller, particularly hate comments and online bashing. Iwa shared that she usually lets the negativity slide. However, when the criticism crosses the line, she makes it a point to remind people that online selling is an honest and respectable profession.
Remarks like, “Live seller ka na lang?” are what usually catch Iwa's attention. She believes online selling should not be looked down on, as it provides a steady income that helps cover daily expenses. “At saka mas magandang trabaho ito kasi legal,” she emphasized, adding that it also gives her the opportunity to connect with people and learn more about the products she sells.
With Iwa proudly embracing her role as a businesswoman, the “Dakong Problema” segment, “Ibaligya ang mga Kuan (Ibenta ang mga Kuan),” was the perfect fit. Using a selection of quirky products, Melai and Iwa each had to sell three items—with a hilarious twist: every product was defective. Their challenge was to convince the customers to buy the faulty goods, making for an even more entertaining showdown.
Iwa was first challenged to promote a rice cooker that could only make scorched rice. Thinking on her feet, she quickly came up with a clever strategy and, in just one minute, won everyone over with her witty pitch: “Alam n’yo ba na mas healthy ang tutong kaysa sa rice sa ibabaw?” Her creative spin left Melai in stitches.
Iwa then turned the tables on Melai by giving her an emergency light that wouldn’t work during a brownout. Playing along, Melai joked that she would market it to people “without common sense,” since the product itself made no sense. She even quipped that it could still be “useful even without an emergency,” adding to the laughter.
Keeping the fun going, Melai then challenged Iwa to promote a mirror that turned blurry whenever someone looked into it. Iwa gamely accepted the challenge, opening with the hilarious pitch, “Gaganda ka rito kasi biglang lalabo ito.” She added that she would sell it for only 20 pesos and even throw in a freebie, earning laughs from everyone in the studio.
Feeling the pressure from Iwa’s impressive live-selling skills, Melai then took on the challenge of marketing a shampoo that actually causes dandruff. Staying true to the comedic spirit, she quipped, “Kailangan n’yo ring maranasan magkaroon ng balakubak.” She even sweetened the deal by offering a 3% discount every time a buyer scratched their itchy head, sending the studio into another round of laughter.
For the final round, Iwa burst into laughter when she saw the soleless shoes she had to promote. She pitched them as more comfortable to wear and even more convenient, joking that users would only have to worry about cleaning their feet.
Capping off the segment, Melai had everyone laughing as she tried to market a waterproof, bubble-proof sponge. “Ang gagawin n’yo lang, ipagpag n’yo lang ito sa plato at malilinis din ‘yun. ‘Yun ang magic nito,” she joked. She added that it could help lower water bills and reduce dishwashing liquid consumption. Her funny yet surprisingly convincing sales pitch even earned praise from Iwa, who remarked that Melai could easily pass as a live seller herself.
Get your weekly dose of fun and inspiring stories in “Kuan On One” Season 5, streaming fresh episodes every Tuesday, 8AM, on the ABS-CBN Entertainment YouTube channel and on iWant.
Ellen Adarna and Melai Cantiveros fire no-filter questions at exes and frenemies on “Kuan on One”