3 Reasons Why Foreigners Love The Philippines
See the beauty of the Philippines through the eyes of 7 foreigners
COVID-19 pandemic exempts nobody. No matter who or where you are, we are all in a tough situation. Plans, careers, and whole ways of life have undoubtedly been disrupted by the virus, forcing everyone to stay home for their own safety. What’s harder than that is getting stuck in a foreign land when the virus strikes and quarantines imposed, leaving you with no choice but to stay where you are in order to avoid the risks.
As the Philippines sees millions of tourists every year, it’s inevitable that there would be some travelers who ended up getting stranded in the country as the government ordered a community quarantine to safeguard public health and curb the spread of COVID-19. However, something interesting happened—some foreign nationals chose to stick by the country, having been charmed by everything it has to offer.
Here are some of the things about the country that foreigners fell in love in our country even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
1. Beautiful & Relaxing Sceneries
Chris & Carol of Jumping Places, who are currently staying in El Nido, first arrived in the Philippines back in February. They were out on a tour in the Gigantes Islands when they heard about the quarantine, which made them afraid at first—but they eventually thought it was a good decision to stop COVID-19 from spreading. According to Chris in their vlog, they are lucky to be stuck in a place like the Philippines.
“When I go outside just to get groceries, I know we can’t spend time on the beaches, but just going past it and looking, it’s like a reset button,” said Chris.
Anna and Trevor of the Delightful Travellers also found themselves stuck in El Nido, Palawan. They arrived in early March and were given the option to repatriate in April, which they turned down after realizing that they had the chance to stay in what they considered one of the most beautiful places in the world.
“We are in one of the most beautiful places in the world—that’s just a nice perk,” said Trevor in their fateful vlog entry in which they discussed their options. “The people have been exceptionally nice to us, we feel right at home, we feel safe. We feel really good about where we are.”
On the other hand, English family Jmayel, Sacha, and their daughter Story are staying in Siargao, where they feel fortunate to be stuck in. They visited the Philippines as they were looking for a new home, a place to “feel content in”—and ended up in Siargao as a tourist destination right before the government announced a quarantine.
Siargao provides them a nice, quiet, and inspiring environment where their entire family can stay calm and relaxed while waiting out the quarantine. The family considers the pandemic as some sort of sign that they should be moving—if not to Siargao, then to somewhere in the Philippines in general.
“I love the way it feels on the island, just general day-to-day living. It has a very nice, relaxed vibe,” said Sacha in their vlog entry explaining their circumstances. “The people are wonderful, and the island attracts a good crowd.”“We are safe & sheltered on what can only be described as a paradise & we are grateful for that each day,” said Jmayel.
Manila-based British travel vloggers George and Lucy moved to the Philippines in 2019 to explore everything the country had to offer, but got caught up in the quarantine in March. The worst-case scenario hasn’t dampened their spirits and sentiments about the Philippines, as all its sites and experiences still occupy a special place in their hearts.
“We definitely wanna go back into our family afterwards, of course we do. It’s not gonna be a permanent move back to the UK, we still have [the Philippines],” said George in a recent vlog where a fan asked them about their current plans.
2. Filipino Hospitality & Generosity
Dutch travel vlogger Rod, who documents his travels with Filipina wife Viv and their six kids found themselves stranded in Marabut, Samar as they were spending their vacation. With such a big family, they eventually needed some help to get by, which they were easily able to get from both generous neighbors and fans.
“Thank you so much for helping us out—seeing the deeds, instead of just words,” said Rod of compassionate Filipinos who sent money to help the family in their time of need in a recent vlog entry. “When we say we care for people, we should also show it in our deeds.”
Austrian travel vloggers Mike and Nelly found themselves stuck outside of Manila when the quarantine struck, so they decided to travel to Siargao, where they knew some people. While they admit that their situation is a little difficult, the generosity of Filipinos makes it easier for them to bear as they wait to be able to get back to the capital.
“The Filipino generosity never ceases to surprise me,” said Mike in this vlog entry where Filipino friends hosted them for a get-together on Mother’s Day. “I wish it were like that everywhere on planet Earth, but we are lucky to be in the situation that we can be here in the Philippines.”
“I am very, very grateful that we are able to experience [Filipinos’ hospitality],” added Nelly.
3. Filipino Culture
American travel vlogger Carson Moody and his Filipina-Australian girlfriend Zowie Palliaer ended up spending their quarantine in Dumaguete City. Carson, who professes a genuine love for the Filipino culture and people with his extensive content immersing himself in it, manages to stay upbeat and positive despite the quarantine. You can check out a glimpse of their daily quarantine life in this vlog entry, which shows them taking it easy in Dumaguete.
“If you look closely, you’ll see raw, authentic Filipino life. A young girl by herself on a bamboo boat with ramshackle homes by the river. Forget the tourist spots. This is what the Philippines is all about, and moments like this will always be my favorite,” says Carson.
Despite the less-than-ideal situations we’re all facing right now, if there’s anything these positive stories and these enthusiastic foreigners have shown us, it’s that we can always see the bright side of a worst-case scenario—and having breathtaking environments that the Philippines is well-known for and warm, welcoming Filipinos definitely help.
For the latest travel updates and advisories in relation to COVID-19, visit philippines.travel/safeph. Until we can travel again, stay home, dream, and #WakeUpInPH by planning your next dream vacation to the Philippines. Check out philippines.travel/wakeupinph.
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