BRACE yourself for the first, reality-based motorsports show on Philippine TV.
Named Garahista, derived from the words garahe (garage) and karerista (racer), this half-hour show, which will have its premiere on Thursday at 10:30 p.m. on ABS-CBN Sports + Action after the NBA playoffs, features teams from different walks of life as they build and race their vehicles in different racing platforms.
Garahista director Cesar Marquez and host Milo Rivera appeared at the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum on Tuesday at the Golden Phoenix Hotel to promote their TV show.
Marquez revealed that for the first season of Garahista, seven teams from all walks of life are given a second-hand car to tinker with and transform into racing machines with the use of just P30,000. The teams worked 30 hours non-stop and are now preparing to race their “builds.”
“There are shows like this abroad, but this is the first of its kind on Philippine television, and I’m sure car and racing enthusiasts will be elated to have this show just for them,” said Marquez in the forum backed by San Miguel Corp., Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., Accel and Golden Phoenix Hotel.
“Garahista is about us. It is about our sincere desire to excel, to achieve our dreams despite the limitations and challenges. No matter what is given us, we will be determined to finish the race that has been set before us,” he added.
Rivera, who will co-host the show with DJ, Vlogger and Racer Joyce Pring, said Garahista is their means to spread to the world that motorsports is for everyone, not just for the elite.
“This is a good avenue to promote motorsports. It will be held in mall parking lots so that people coming out from the department stores and groceries can watch something as they go out or before they go in,” said Rivera, a World Gymkhana Racing Champion. “We want to show what motorsports is since the perception of people on motorsports is that it is for the rich, so we want to try to change that perception. Racing is for everybody especially for people who love cars.”
Garahista is held under the supervision of the Automobile Association of the Philippines and is backed by Dunlop, Rota Wheels, Tru Health, Fontana, Back Stage, Solaire, Palawan International Circuit, Batagas Racing Circuit, Carmona Race Circuit, Clark International Speedway, AeroMed, WalterMart Taytay, United Auctioneers, Dad and Mom’s Family Restaurant, Rosario Cars and Brembo Brakes.