Traveling has always been considered a luxury; something one does to recharge after months of backbreaking work with other slaves in the office. It is spending quality time with friends and family and marveling at the wonders of nature. It is learning about how other people live their lives on their side of the planet. Some people are privileged to see the world but most are not. Those of us who thirst for adventure will have to settle for images of picturesque mountain ranges or the best diving spots on television. Sure, there are a plethora of travel shows around but we welcome them all. And if a new travel show features the talented Quizon brothers, we get more than a pretty shot of some resort or a bulleted list of a place’s scenic spots. Road Trip is hosted by Eric and Jeffrey Quizon and it airs every Sunday night at 11 p.m. on RPN 9. Eric also directs the show and gets significant help from brothers Ronnie and Jeffrey who act as his assistant directors. Also on the team are the Quizons’ childhood friends, Diboy and Ari Trofeo. Together they conceptualized and produce one of the freshest and most exciting shows on television today. So how does a typical workday go for the guys of Road Trip?
"We just have fun, basically," says Eric.
The fun they have is evident in the finished product. What we see is a visual translation of the good times they have on location. After all, what can you expect from people who have known each other all their lives?
"One thing good about having brothers as co-hosts is that it only takes one look from one another and we know what’s going to happen next," says Jeffrey.
On one occasion, while there was a lull in filming, Jeffrey started clowning around with Eric. Ronnie found his brother’s antics hilarious and decided to get the camera rolling. Eric then went with the flow and did his spiel in response to Jeffrey’s playfulness. These spontaneous bursts of friskiness make the show different and appealing. Of course, being brothers, they have their occasional disagreements.
"Ever since, kapag gumagawa kami ng pelikula, akala mo World War III," says Jeffrey. "Pero ganoon lang talaga kami. By the end of the day, wala na."
Travel has always been a big part of their lives, Eric relates. He recalls going on several foreign trips with his family while growing up and the desire to see a new place has stayed with him and his brothers. In doing a show like Road Trip, they get to work with their best friends and have fun at the same time. It’s not all frolic for the boys, though. Putting up a show like this is a labor of love and it takes generous amounts of creativity from everyone involved. They keep the audience in mind in everything they do.
"We do not present the show as a postcard and then react after (the presentation)," adds Ronnie "We let the audience experience the beauty of the place through the hosts who are experiencing the same thing,"
"Everybody has an idea on how to make the show better. It’s continually evolving," says Ari.
They also learn a lot about a place through the locals who assist them. The residents are more than willing to share with them information and folklore.
"Most of our voiceovers, the things that we say, come from the residents who work with us," says Eric.
They all agree that doing the show is also a learning experience for them. They don’t want to pass themselves off as travel guides but as tourists who want to know much about the culture and traditions of a location. In this sense, Road Trip is in the same vein as the famous travel show Lonely Planet.
"The reason why I love Lonely Planet is, hindi siya mayabang. He (host Ian Wright) presents himself as someone who learns about a place as he goes along," says Jeffrey.
The fun is not lost on the viewers, especially the people who want to be part of the show.
"I have about 10 to 20 friends who come up to me and say ‘Gawin mo naman akong co-host,’" Ronnie narrates.
He adds that the Department of Tourism, one of the show’s major supporters, is asking for copies to show to their guests.
Upcoming episodes will take the brothers and their cohorts to different places in the Philippines and across Asia. More than a travel show, Road Trip is a chronicle of brotherly love and the joy of friendship.