Atom Araullo: Journeyman and chronicler

MANILA, Philippines - Atom Araullo, by his own admission, is an old soul. This young man – he is all of 31 – has been to cities and towns those twice his age will not be able to visit in a lifetime. He has a thriving career in a medium that puts him right smack in the public eye. As a reporter for a leading network, chasing daily deadlines is a cinch and he is constantly zipping through local destinations as well as various time zones. He admits, however, “I am a world-class procrastinator,” and gleefully boasts he is a talented sleeper.

When Atom runs after subjects to interview and stories to file for TV Patrol – the primetime newscast of ABS-CBN – he experiences life at its rawest every single working day. It may be a blazing inferno in a blighted community in the urban jungle or a demolition of shanties that turns violent. Or, he could be flying into a province to cover arguably the worst natural disaster such as he did in Tacloban, at the height of Typhoon Yolanda. 

The last was a significant turning point in his life as a journalist and human being. It immediately shifted the focus of his career – from covering the sports beat and anchoring segments of two popular programs geared towards housewives and young people – he was moved to news and public affairs, virtually thrust into what is called in the industry the “hard stuff.” This transition gained for him a wider following and served notice to viewers that he isn’t just a bright personable young man who went to the right schools – Ateneo de Manila, Philippine Science High School and the University of the Philippines – made the right connections and started in the broadcast business at a young age.

Early in his life, Atom must have been fated to face an audience. At ten, he auditioned for and was given the title role in the musicale “Oliver” at the Ateneo. A stint with 5 & Up produced by Probe Productions for the then ABC 5 followed. This was an auspicious television debut. The program featured articulate pre-teens who were trained to interview people, gather news and learn the rudiments of the documentary.

In high school, he lived the life of an “egghead” at the A-list institute for budding scientists. As an Applied Physics major at UP, he was highly politicized and was a very visible figure on campus. This was also where his activism – which had its roots at home as he witnessed his parents’ battles with the Marcos regime – found a platform and a voice. To this day he remains a strong advocate for good governance and the environment.

In the mid-80s, with new media outlets chronicling the country in ferment after the EDSA revolt, Atom was one of many promising young professionals snapped up by competing networks for new  programs geared towards emerging leaders and policy makers. The progression of his broadcasting career mirrored the changing times and the evolving world of television. In the next few years, he was assigned regular segments in Breakfast at Studio 23, Expresson ABC 5, Sports, and Umagang Kay Ganda on ABS-CBN. He hit his stride as a news reporter on TV Patrol.

However, his life is not just about the adrenaline rush that people see on cam. There is a side to him that finds stillness and fulfillment in a lonely beach far removed from the maelstrom, in a Buddhist temple away from the madding crowd, in the arid sands of the Sahara or in a flea market in Hanoi. Well-traveled not only because of work, Atom takes to the road on adventures from which he brings home – to friends and family he still lives with – memories, stories and life lessons that are documented in the countless photographs he has collected through many summers.

He is loathe to categorically rank which of his journeys is the most memorable as he says, “That would really be a difficult task.” Prodded some more, he reminisces with a smile, “One strikingly stands out – my ten-day visit to North Korea on invitation of an organization to celebrate the birthday of the country’s founding father and to launch a weather satellite into space. While in preparation for the journey and before actual departure, I usually do extensive research on the country, the people, their history, their culture and their way of life. This time, I did nothing of the sort. I arrived as a tourist – not on a job assignment, with no pressure of a deadline – above all, with an open mind. It was by far one of my best trips. As a bonus, I met a lot of wonderful people.”

Getting “lost” in the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Cairo, Egypt is another tale he loves to share. “The dusty bowels of this museum are dark and stuffy, but the artifacts housed therein are simply staggering, unimaginable is the word.  It has a priceless collection of Pharaonic antiquities – 120,000 in all!  Seeing the remarkable gold mask of King Tutankhamen, all 11 kilograms of solid gold, and... I can go on and on.” 

For sheer magnitude, Atom singles out the Great Wall of China, Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden Palace, all around Beijing. Then he cites the Boudhanath Stupa in the outskirts of Kathmandu, Nepal. It is the largest and holiest Tibetan Buddhist temple outside Tibet, a place, he hastens to add, he longs to revisit. “There I get the feeling that I have so little time and yet so much to see.”

There is likewise a side to Atom that appreciates the subdued and ethereal aura of certain destinations. “The historic city of Kyoto in Japan is absolutely beautiful. It is a step back in time. I envy how the residents are able to preserve their rich history and traditions, landmarks and monuments and leave intact the way of life of an era now gone by,” he says wistfully. “I have the same experience when I am in Luang Prabang in Laos. This laid back city in a land-locked nation is steeped in heritage and simply frozen in time.”

Difficulties on the road and spartan amenities do not faze our man on the go. A practical and systematic journeyman, he describes himself as someone who “travels clean and light. No frivolous items for me, only the necessary stuff that I need – I always have a small micro fabric towel that dries quickly.  It has saved me on more than a dozen occasions. And lately, with all our electronic gadgets that are actually necessary to meet the urgency of news reporting, not to mention the complexities of today’s lifestyle, I always carry with me an extension cord,” he reveals.

Like most journalists who never know where they will find themselves in the course of the day, Atom is quick to savor those rare lulls in his schedule when he finds himself at home with virtually no assignment in sight. “These are precious. I look forward to doing ‘nothing.’ I read features, some books. I surf the Internet to find inspiration. But what really relaxes me is going outdoors and being in wide open spaces. I relish taking pictures and at times I play football.”

Does Atom still contemplate venturing to parts unknown, we asked. “I really have a list” – quite a long one, he admits. “I look forward to visiting the Scandinavian countries rich in Viking tradition, Prague and Warsaw in Eastern Europe, Patagonia in South America, Havana in Cuba, Ulan Bator in Mongolia and the two main islands of New Zealand. I told you the list is long. Here’s more: Spain, to experience a championship game between iconic Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona, to watch a bull fight or corrida, to join the running of the bulls on the narrow streets of Pamplona. Lastly, I hope to get a chance to spend more time on a safari in Africa.”

For someone who has seen much of the world, Atom Araullo still longs to come home. In the next beat, he claims that if he could reside anywhere else, “I love the Old World. My ideal place would be a nice university town with a strong community where everyone knows everyone. Perhaps, somewhere in the Cataluña region of Spain.”