‘Trip na Trip’ Season 2: Shortened but more fun! By WALDEN SADIRIVice Presidential daughter Katherine "Kat Kat" de Castro, host of ABS-CBN’s "Trip Na Trip" is all smiles these days about her show (under Bayan Productions Inc.) The reason is obvious - the show’s return for another season!
Given that it’s aired every Sunday midnight, surviving a season could be an ordeal already. But it survived and has created a following that clamored for its immediate return. According to Kat Kat, she was already looking forward to a break from hosting it. But the show’s positive feedback changed her plans. So she’s back to work!
"Super saya that we’re back. Actually we were supposed to rest for three months but what happened was we had viewers from The Filipino Channel (TFC) at yung ibang hindi makatulog sa gabi. They said they wanted to see the show again," she said with a big smile.
Bayan Productions is a blocktimer at ABS-CBN and a new show, "Urban Zone" with Daphne Oseña and Ito Kish was supposed to take over "Trip na Trip’s" timeslot. Because of the latter’s return, both shows were shortened to 30 minutes each.
"What will happen is that we’ll feature one province in two episodes. This is better for us unlike before which was very tiring. This time around we’ll show the fun side of traveling," explained Kat Kat.
Putting fun into the travel show also meant letting loose and putting away her demeanor of being a broadcast journalist. Televiewers know how serious she is in "TV Patrol" and "Magandang Gabi Bayan," so hosting and having fun with a travel show was a challenge. "The adjustment from News and Current Affairs wasn’t actually big. Actually
hindi naman kasi ako seryosong-seryoso. By nature I’m
masayahin at mahilig mag-travel. So it wasn’t really a major adjustment. In terms
lang siguro of the format of the show, it’s very reality-based,
parang sa News and Current Affairs
din kaso lang sa news you have to keep a straight face. Now for this one,
kailangan naming gisingin ang mga tao. With that kind of thinking we really need to have fun, we need to show them the fun side," Kat Kat said.
She added that their director too was very conscious and concerned about her veering away from news reporting style. "Yes, in the show I don’t talk in the same intonation a reporter usually speaks in news. I just have to show who I really am especially when I’m with my friends and the way I talk. My director too is very conscious because if he feels I’m doing something in a reporter’s style again , he tells me,
‘ayusin ang boses, hindi ako nasa news. ‘
In "Trip Na Trip’s" episodes, the fun actually begins with Kat Kat’s co-hosts, Pinoy Big Brother alumni Franzen Fajardo, Jayson Gainza and Uma Khouny. And according to Kat Kat, having three co-hosts was more accidental than intentional. Her original co-host from season one though was Franzen. "Everything happened by chance. When Jayson hosted it was well-received and that was the episode on Camiguin and Cagayan de Oro. So we decided to bring him to the show and surely mas
masaya talaga kapag marami kasi parang barkada na talaga. With Uma naman, there was this time
na hindi puwede si Jayson so I asked who we could get who was the opposite of Jayson and they said Uma," she shared.
For those not yet familiar with "Trip Na Trip," it’s the kind of show that gives very practical and enjoyable and effective travel advices. For example, for those who thinks going to Boracay would be very expensive, "Trip Na Trip" has a more affordable travel route going there. It’s also an educational show for our "kababayan" abroad eager to visit the Philippines but can’t for some reasons.
The strength of "Trip Na Trip" lies in its format, Kat Kat pointed out. "It’s the only travelog that keeps you awake. It’s about time that we have this new travel show
na talagang very interesting to viewers. We show our viewers na not all the
sosyal places are for the rich.
Kahit sino puwede, magplano sila and know the budget and how to get there."
"Trip Na Trip’s" first episode tonight will be on the Mayon Volcano. They were in Legaspi when the alert level of a possible volcano eruption was sounded. And they were able to shoot footages of Mayon spurting smoke and lava. "It was very interesting especially for the three boys who have never seen a volcano erupt, imagine their faces when they saw lava," quipped Kat Kat.
She also commended her three co-hosts because they were a revelation in terms of performance. in the whole. Admitedly she was adamant at first about having co-hosts who were former housemates from the first season of Pinoy Big Brother. "Naiilang ako kasi I watched them in
Bahay ni Kuya, feeling
ko baka ganun din sila kung ano sila sa loob...nang nagsamasama kami talagang they blew me away with their down-to-earth attitude
at lumabas yung pagiging travelers
nila. Gusto na rin nilang mag-travel!"
Kat Kat’s even surprised that they would drop anything they were doing whenever they would shoot a "Trip Na Trip" episode! Aside from "Urban Zone," the other shows of Bayan Production Inc. are "Kabuhayang Swak na Swak" with Amy Perez and Chase Tinio (Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.) and television specials like "Kababalaghan."
By the way, at the helm of Bayan Productions Inc. is the Vice President’s First Lady, Ms. Arlene de Castro.
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