Randolph de Leon is the Assistant News Editor of JamesDeakin.ph, a blog covering motoring and automotive-related stories, as well as includes the personal motoring experiences of TV Host, vlogger, and motoring Journalist James Deakin.

When and how did you know you had a thing for cars?
I started to realise I love cars and motor racing when I was a kid. In the 80s and 90s, I'd watch weekly episodes of local motoring and motorsports TV shows, and would always ask for toy cars from my parents.

What made you venture into writing and photography?
Of photography, I first felt the passion for photography when I was in college as a part of my AB Communication Arts course at Philippine Women's University Manila. There, I also developed my writing ability. Although through the years, my passion for photography would almost always come first before writing. 

How did you end up working with James Deakin and for the JamesDeakin.ph website, and what's the process of story production for the website?
I went onboard JamesDeakin.ph as a writer and a backup photographer in 2017 after a few months of rest from my previous company. We get things to write from car brand company PR people. We also cover car launch events and write an article about them.

What are your new content plans in the next few months? 
As of now, what we've been doing is generally the same as what we've been doing over the past two years since COVID. To produce news/press releases from car brands. As the only writer, I tend to just put out the press releases as they are, with a few modifications to enhance them a little to save time and energy since my writing skills aren't all that up to par with my fellow more experienced writers.

Which companies usually approach you for story pitches, and how do you work with old and new PR people who look to pitch stories to the site?
We are reached by many car brands operating in the Philippines. They work with our sales and marketing director, and when settled, I get to write articles or press releases.

What catches your and James Deakin's attention when you're out looking for stories to write or when company representatives pitch their products and stories to you?
Personally, what catches my attention are topics that involve motorsports, especially local motorsports like the Toyota Vios Cup and the Formula V1. I don't always get excited about new car launches, but when I do, I would put extra effort to writing about them. As for James Deakin, he has his social media pages like Facebook and Instagram. He takes interest in a wider variety of car and transportation topics.

What can you say about the way Filipino journalists cover the automotive and motoring industry in the country? What's your outlook regarding motoring news here in the Philippines and in the global scale?
I generally observe local some motoring media as the type of journalist who would play it safe when it comes to delivering news or reviewing cars. Only a handful of people would be brave enough to also highlight the negative aspects or things to improve in a car they're reviewing. Maybe to avoid backlash? I don't know. My outlook? I guess it will pretty much remain the same -- attend events, cover them, and produce content as feature or news. It has been like that ever since. What has changed is the addition of social media.

What are your tips for both PRs and journalists to improve reportage on the automotive and motoring industry?
I haven't acquired enough experience to give solid tips. I'm relatively still learning what others are already doing well for many years. But to answer the question, maybe PR companies should also accept the other sides of the news some media people would produce. It encourages improvements on the brand or products they are representing. As for us media people, I would advise us to not sugarcoat the news. If a car has good points, tell them if it has bad points, tell them anyway, and suggest ways on how to improve the car.

Telum Media gives journalists a platform to share their experiences in the newsroom and out in the field. If you would like to share your story or nominate someone to be featured, email us at philippinesalert@telummedia.com