Broadcaster in defense of motorcycles

MANILA, Philippines -- Motorcycle Diaries: Motorcycles on city roads aren’t all that bad, according to broadcast journalist Jay Taruc, who last July 15 premiered a new documentary show on GMA entitled “Motorcycle Diaries.”

Taruc, son of veteran radio DZRH commentator Joe Taruc, laments the negative image motorcycles have created in the public mind.

The impression is not without bases. Every day, media blurts out sad, unfortunate stories of road accidents involving riders. Certain stories point to riders’ reckless behavior, some of whom take to the road without a helmet or proper gear.

There are those who drive while drunk. Many cyclists zip in and out of lanes and emerge from nowhere only to crash with sudden death.




In defense of motorcycles: Taruc acknowledges all of these but maintains that there are thousands, if not millions of riders out there, who daily take to the road and reach their destinations safe and sound and in one piece.

In big, crowded cities, he says, bikes are really the more preferred mode of transport. They are affordable, easy to maneuver and practical.

Taruc used to go to work on a motorcycle, although he has reserved using his bike now for shoot purposes only. “Motorcycle Diaries,” aired every Friday night, shows the 38-year-old broadcaster traversing the countryside to hunt for unknown, untold stories crying for government attention.

His first episode was a lesson in immersion into the life of a soldier in a far-flung camp in Agusan with little supplies or none at all.

Taruc is known for immersion journalism, if we can call it that. His new show, says program manager, Angel Directo, will probe social issues on both analytical and investigative levels.

Riding a BMW GS 1200 during shoots, Taruc explains that his motorcycle isn’t just a prop but a dynamic element in story telling.

“I want the motorcycle to be a symbol of how extreme and how far the organization will go in hunting down untold stories of people and places,” he says.

A rider for more than 11 years, Taruc appeals to other media, government and the general public, to reconsider their stand on the acceptance of motorcycles as a mode of transport in big cities.

Taruc finds it unfair that motorbikes are generally considered unsafe, a threat to life and security, and worse, an accomplice to crime. The police term for this is riding tandem.

“Motorbikes are useful as long as the people who drive them follow the rules,” says this broadcaster whose idols as a child all rode bikes: Marlon Brando, Peter Fonda, James Dean, Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix and “Voltes V’s” Steve Armstrong.



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