Lucky Star Diego Gutierrez flashed a nervous smile as he stepped onto the “Kapamilya, Deal or No Deal” stage after the Lucky Wheel landed on his assigned briefcase, number 12, officially selecting him as the celebrity player for the game show’s July 5 episode.
In his introduction video, the singer-songwriter shared what it was like growing up with a unique family background, having come from one of the Philippines’ biggest showbiz clans. He earned a degree in Integrated Marketing Communications from the University of Asia and The Pacific, where he served as captain of the university’s collegiate basketball team for two years.
Determined to follow in the footsteps of his grandmothers, Asia’s Queen of Songs Pilita Corrales and Superstar Nora Aunor, he ventured into the entertainment industry and pursued a career in music.
Relying solely on his intuition throughout the game, Diego initially considered choosing briefcase number 8 because it was the jersey number he wore during his time as UA&P's team captain. However, he ultimately decided to stick with his assigned briefcase, number 12.
After eliminating ₱300 from the board with the first briefcase he opened, Diego went on to eliminate several large cash amounts in the opening round, including ₱100,000, ₱150,000, and the ₱250,000 prize hidden in briefcase number 8. The celebrity player was stunned by the possibility that he could have taken home a six-digit prize had he chosen briefcase number 8 instead.
The second round went comparatively better for Diego as he revealed ₱100, ₱200, ₱400, with only the ₱50,000 prize serving as a setback. Just as it seemed his luck was beginning to turn, Diego appeared to jinx himself in the third round after joking about driving his luck away by acknowledging it, only to eliminate the ₱1 million jackpot moments later.
Despite eliminating ₱125,000 later in the game, the celebrity player remained optimistic, hoping to walk away with the ₱500,000 cash prize. His birthdate, 11, proved to be lucky after the corresponding briefcase revealed just ₱5. Using reverse psychology to his advantage, he chose briefcase number 15, thinking it concealed a high cash amount, but it contained only ₱25.
Diego’s hopes of pocketing the ₱500,000 prize came to an end after he eliminated it in the seventh round. With his "Mamba Mentality" on full display, the basketball team captain-turned-musician decided to see the game through to the very end, declining the Banker’s final offer of ₱350. With only ₱1 and ₱500 remaining on the board, the studio audience erupted in cheers when it was revealed that Diego had become the game show’s newest “Pisonaryo.”
WATCH: PISONARYO! Diego Gutierrez, inilaban ang laman ng briefcase niya | Kapamilya Deal Or No Deal
Still all smiles despite winning just ₱1, Diego had nothing to be disappointed about, especially after fulfilling his wish of playing on “Kapamilya, Deal or No Deal.” He expressed his gratitude, saying, “Honestly, I’m so happy. Like I said, I came in with no expectations. Sobrang nag-enjoy lang ako to be part of the Lucky Stars.”
Catch more fun and exciting moments on "Kapamilya Deal or No Deal," airing Saturdays and Sundays at 7:30 PM on ALLTV2, Kapamilya Channel, TV5, A2Z, and Kapamilya Online Live (KOL), or stream anytime on iWant!