Drew Arellano: The Perks of being a Professional Traveller

Drew Arellano is a busy man, but he probably has one of the best jobs around—dishing out fun science trivia for the GMA-7 Sunday show “Aha!” and traveling around the Philippines for GMA’s daily morning show “Unang Hirit” and News TV’s reality-travel show “Weekend Getaway.”  As a professional traveler, Drew is almost always on the go. Luckily, GMA News Online was able to squeeze in an interview with the TV host because of a flight cancellation. But it takes much more than a cancelled flight to dampen the mood of a seasoned traveller like Drew. Drew spoke gamely with GMA News Online about the perks and perils of his enviable job and why he believes it's truly more fun in the Philippines. Photo from Drew Arellano's Facebook page.

What is it like to travel around the Philippines for a living? We started the travel show seven years ago, and we just changed formats since then—from “Balikbayan” to “Weekend Getaway.” I feel honored and lucky to be doing it. I don’t really treat it as a job anymore because I’ve also been working with the same core group. It does get tiring though because you have to travel on a weekly basis. Don’t get me wrong, but when you get to your destination, you totally forget about being tired. I want to keep on doing this job for as long as there is still a place to be featured, and that’s still a long time. What’s the most underrated local destination for you? Well, there’s a reason some destinations are really known. It’s because they’re really beautiful. And tourists sometimes lack reasons to go to some of these underrated destinations. There are bad roads and it’s a hassle to go there, which is difficult especially if you have just the weekend to travel. But Batanes is out there. For me, it’s number one. A lot of people haven’t been there yet. And you know how there are places where you think, I’ve been there, done that. But Batanes is one place I’ve already visited, but I still want to go back. What are your travel essentials? 1. When going on location for Weekend Getaway, I normally just bring my backpack so I don’t have to check in luggage. 2. I always bring my running clothes and my shoes for my morning run. I actually run with the whole crew of Weekend Getaway, which is so cool. 3. For other footwear, I just wear slippers going to the airport.   4. I also have a small bag for all the cables and my battery pack, in case of emergency.   5. I always have my iPad for reading. 6. I also bring shades and cap to fight off the heat.   7. I always have my medicine and my toiletries.   8. I always bring Ziplocs and plastic bags for clothes that got dirty or wet during shooting.   What tips would you give other travelers?   1. I’m a light packer, and I’d recommend packing light too, but I always carry one extra set of comfortable clothes in case of emergency. I also suggest rolling your clothes so you can save space in your bag. And I am a huge believer of tech wear and brands that are lightweight and durable. You can bundle your stuff in mini-compartments so can fit in just one bag. 2. I love traveling alone. I’d advise people to do it too because you actually have more chances to meet new people when you’re alone, and don’t have to stick with a group all the time.   3. When traveling, try to talk to the locals or the university students in the area. They know the best places to get cheap and great food! 4. I still suggest bringing snacks,  though. The moment you feel hungry, it’s usually already too late to go shopping, so always bring snacks with you. 5. When it comes to lodging, it’s better if it’s pre-planned. You don’t want to be in a new place without anywhere to stay.   6. Whether you should bring cash or card depends on where you’re going. When traveling locally, I normally bring cash, but it’s much easier to just bring a card when traveling abroad.   7. Don’t carry too much stuff around! Make sure you know exactly the stuff that you brought.   Why should Filipinos travel around the Philippines? How about those who say they can’t afford it/too busy? Well, it’s very relative. There are budget airlines and it’s really cheap now to travel. You just have to be resourceful. You have the Internet, and if you don’t know how to book tickets online, well, now’s the perfect time to learn. Always be aware of travel promos too. Actually, when it comes to the price, sometimes, you’d spend less when you travel abroad than when you travel in the Philippines. I was guilty of this too before. I always want to go to Singapore, I want to go to Hong Kong. But the thing is, when you travel locally, you get to help your own country. There is no language barrier to worry about. People are friendlier here, and the travel destinations are not too far so they are perfect for the weekend. The thing is to patronize your own country first. —Angel Bombarda/PF, GMA News "Weekend Getaway" airs on Saturdays at 4:30PM on GMA News TV 11.  Stay connected with the show by following these accounts on Twitter and Facebook: Drew Arellano on Twitter (@DrewArellano) Weekend Getaway on Twitter (@WkendGetaway) Weekend Getaway on Facebook (facebook.com/weekendgetawayGMA)