Baste Duterte Hosts Travel-Reality Show On TV5, 'Lakbai', Doesn't Mind Hosting It With Ellen Adarna Awards Here And Abroad, Vows To Produce More Good Films

BASTE DUTERTE is hosting TV5's new adventure-travel-reality show called "Lakbai", an abbreviation of "Lakaw Ta Bai (Lakad Tayo, Kaibigan)" and also a play on word on the Tagalog word for travel, "Lakbay". What convinced him to finally foray into showbiz which he resisted before?

"TV5 offered me this show which suits me kasi hindi naman ako a-acting dahil hindi naman ako artista," he says. "I will just host it so more comfortable ako. They also agreed to get my best friend from kindergarten, S'Boi Malicay as co-host, and my videographer as our cameraman, Andre Apostol. Tapos, isinama nila si Bogart the Explorer na taga-Davao rin at dati nang nagpapatawa sa'kin pag pinapanood ko siya sa youtube. Hindi sila nahirapan to convince me kasi babayaran naman ako rito. Sayang din yun. And when you watch this, you'll see secret beautiful places na parang you travel lang with your barkada."

Did he ask his Pres. Digong Duterte's permission? "No, I didn't have to. But nakaabot na sa kanya.
Alam na niyang may TV show ako." And what his dad's reaction? "Wala. Dedma lang." Does he get hurt when his dad castigates him on TV? "No, Nasanay na ako dun. Sa Davao pa lang, pinapagalitan na ako nun. Kaya lang ngayon, sa national TV na."

Will he be opening more of himself in this show? "Ita-try ko. Actually, tina-try ko na sa episodes na na-taped namin, dun sa interviews na tinatanong ako kung anong iniisip ko, anong napi-feel ko. Hindi scripted yung show namin. Spontaneous lang. Kung ano yung lumabas sa bibig namin, yun na yun. Natural lang. Mas makikilala rito ng tao ang totoong Baste. Kung ano mapagtripan naming gawin, we do it. Kung napagod, di mag-rest. Kung nagutom, di kumain."

Does this mean he'll also venture into acting? "No, wala naman akong talent sa acting. But hindi ko rin alam. I'm just living it day by day now. Pero naku-curious din ako, ano kayang hitsura ko kung aarte ako? Kasi parang hindi bagay. Siguro, papayag ako kung sobrang laki ng talent fee na ibabayad sa'kin na maiiyak ako."

There's an impression that he's a womanizer. "Ayoko nang ipagtanggol ang sarili ko tungkol diyan. Just watch 'Lakbai' and be the judge. Ayoko na ngang naghuhubad kasi ang laki na ng tiyan ko. Nakakahiya na."

Is it true people flock to him when they see him in person? "Masyado namang exaggerated yan. Yung dinadagsa daw ako ng tao. May mga lumalapit, nagpapa-picture. Ewan ko kung bakit. Siguro dahil president ang tatay ko."

They are all boys in the show. How about having a female co-host like his ex, Ellen Adarna? "Puede. Okay lang sa'kin, para may woman's point of view. Ako naman, I'll do anything. Bayad naman ako. But it depends sa management." Did they have a bad breakup? "You ask her." Shouldn't it be the guy who'd answer? "E, paano naman yung woman empowerment? Basta ako, no comment na lang. Past is past na."



They have taped three episodes of "Lakbai" so far, which starts airing on Sunday, May 21, after the PBA Games. The pilot episode will feature Mati, Davao Oriental, his favorite surfing place. Then they go to Bukidnon and Apu Island near Dumaguete and Siquijor. We ask TV5 Head of Programming Mell Yazon-Tolentino how is it working with Baste so far? "Okay naman siya. He's humble, down to earth. Akala ng iba,

mayabang, but you'd see a different side of him here. Lahat sila ng co-hosts niya, game sila. Kasama rin dito yung lawyer niya, Atty. Alexis Lumbatan, known as the Pambansang Photobomber kasi laging kasama sa pictorials. They all mix well with the people of the places they go to, tinitikman nila ang delicacies doon that they're not familiar with. Their director is Jaco de Leon (son of Joey de Leon) and it's a collaborative effort with all of them."
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