Kulas Jennerman of ‘Becoming Pinoy’ vlog shares insight on reimagining PHL tourism

Kyle “Kulas” Jennerman, the Canadian vlogger behind “Becoming Pinoy” has shared some insights on how he reimagines tourism in the Philippines given the pandemic situation.

In an interview with “Quarantined with Howie Severino,” Kulas, who has been to 80 provinces in the Philippines, said he sees the future of traveling in the Philippines to be “localized and purpose driven and slow.”

“Don’t get me wrong. It’s fantastic when millions of people come, have a weekend, have a week, go to the resort, you know have a great time and leave. Fantastic, drives the economy, it’s great. Hope they bring positive experiences back to their country, tell other people, more people come,” he said.

However, Kulas said he would “love to see people who go slow, localized and so enough purpose-driven.”

“We can have a million people come to this country and from this country stay here and travel purposely to a local area and stay there for a while and not just spend but even develop something positive within the people there,” he added.

Kulas said he thinks it is “a lot better than 10 million people showing up for a weekend having a beer and enjoying the beach.”

According to Kulas, he and a close friend have purchased a beach lot in Cateel, Davao Oriental, where he has been staying.

Kulas said he loved the diversity in the place. “I think it’s just the local atmosphere. It’s a very local place, very uncrowded. It has a lot to offer. I mean right up my in my backyard, I have many waterfalls.”

He added: “I have a 9-kilometer stretch of beach right in front of me. I have a very safe area to swim. And I have a very cool local community here. You know there’s Mandaya, Kamayo, Visaya. It’s a little bit a halu-halo and it’s very, very... it is beautiful. It’s beautiful.”

Kulas also explained why he named his vlog “Becoming Filipino.”

"For me it’s just taking these positive experiences I’m having here, which are abundant and having those become a part of my life. So I guess you could say I always be ‘becoming Filipino’ in a sense just like anybody goes to Canada with that part of that country and becoming Canadian,” he said.

“But it’s nothing to do with the transforming. It has to do with taking the positive, have it become a part of me and sharing it to other people,” he added.

Aside from the diverse culture, and abundance of landscapes in the Philippines, Kulas said, “the cool thing is it’s not the natural environment itself that really connects me the most, it’s when you walk out there, you see really local amazing Filipino communities that you come across.”

“You know, people who seem to live in more ‘simple settings,’ you know—simple houses, basketball court, but the interaction seems to be so fun and educational and enjoyable and positive. I just love that. I just love going trekking in a bukid in the Philippines. That’s my favorite,” he added. – Jannielyn Ann Bigtas/RC, GMA News