Backpacking with presidential son Baste
With the show off to a good start last Sunday, ‘Lakbai’ is going full speed ahead
Presidential son Sebastian “Baste” Duterte is an adventurous soul who loves to surf and travel to different places in the country.
“You will always learn something new when you travel, meeting different people and learning different cultures,” he said.
He gets to satisy his wanderlust on TV5’s “Lakbai,” which offers a glimpse of rarely visited places around the Philippines. The show aired its pilot episode on TV5 over the weekend. “Sayang din naman ’yung pagkakataon na you get to travel more than usual,” he said about taking on the show, then adding in jest, “Tsaka ’yung
sweldo. ’Yun talaga ’yun eh.”
He finds hosting the show easy given that there’s no acting involved.
“Reality (show) nga eh so I’m just being myself,” he said. “If this doesn’t work out, pwede naman ako umuwi
ng Davao.”
Different trip
“Lakbai” is actually shorthand for “Lakaw ta, bai!” or “Lakad na, kaibigan.” Baste is joined by Bogart the Explorer, Andrei Apostol, S’boi Malicay, and Atty. Alexis Lumbatan on the show.
According to Lloyd Manaloto, Head of Network Marketing and Digital of TV5, the show is “not your Tita’s travel show.”
“This is far from it. It is an adventure-reality show and what we will be doing is presenting the Philippines through the eyes of men or group of friends. It is a show that will definitely peel more layers than your average travel show.”
Executive producer and acting director Jako de Leon said the show is really about camaraderie. “It’s like a huge road trip with the barkada,’ he said.
Tropa
As seen last Sunday, the show offers loads of fun.
Bogart noted: “This is a hundred times funnier talaga than other travel shows. Actually sa show na ’to people would think na I’m the funny one but no, S’boi and Atty. Alexis are way funnier than I am.”
Atty. Alexis is a lawyer by profession but a joker at heart. S’boi, Baste’s childhood buddy, is just as cool as his friend. Andrei, the creative guy, is designated videographer. All of them are Davaoeños.
Asked what they like most about the show, they chorused: “The food!” “Maraming boodle fight, maraming pagkain,” Bogart related.
Sweet escape
Some places for feature on “Lakbai” are Mati, Davao Oriental, Bukidnon, Apo Island, Dumaguete, and Siargao.
“As much as possible ay gusto namin ’yung hindi pa gaano
napupuntahan so we could offer something new to viewers,” said Mell Yazon-Tolentino, TV5 Head of Content and Programming.
The show hosts deliver their lines in a mix of Visayan and Tagalog with English subtitles provided.
Mell admitted editing the show is really hard. “Kasi ang daming magagandang shots at masasayang footage, gusto naming talagang pagkasyahin lahat for the enjoyment of our viewers,” he said. (With report from Jojo P. Panaligan)