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Myk’s Philippines Adventure

Myk's Philippine Journey Net Worth

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Myk's Philippine Journey is an American YouTube channel with over 13.50K subscribers. It started 3 years ago and has 847 uploaded videos.

The net worth of Myk's Philippine Journey's channel through 11 Apr 2024

Videos on the channel are categorized into Society, Lifestyle.

How much money does Myk's Philippine Journey make from YouTube?

Below is an estimated average earnings from advertising on the channel, depending on language, price and current audience.

This income is valid for channel visits till Apr 11 and must be updated when channel data changes. The channel may have additional revenue streams, such as sponsored content and product sales, that are not reflected in these figures.

Myk's Philippine Journey channel's current stats and earnings

Here are the stats for the last two weeks, separated by days.

• The lowest daily views during this period are 3.44K
• The highest daily views are 10.42K

Forecast of next month's revenue

Myk's Philippine Journey net worth for May 2024 - $1,211

• Top Youtubers in United States
• Best in category "Society"
• Best in category "Lifestyle"

The Philippines Reopening Today – Interview With Myk's Philippine Journey

The Philippines Reopening Today – Interview With Myk’s Philippine Journey. This is a great video and interview with Myk from Myk’s Philippine Journey. This is my latest Philippines travel update. We discuss the Philippines to Reopen For Tourist Travel February 2022. That’s right, just as the title states, The Philippines to Reopen For Tourist Travel. This was just announced today. The Philippines to reopen February 10, 2022 for general tourism. This is my first update on the philippines reopening 2022. This is big news that the Philippines reopening 2022. They have been locked down for about two hears. Now the philippines reopening next month. The philippines to reopen February 1011.

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Check out Myk’s Philippine Journey https://youtube.com/c/MyksPhilippineJourney PhilippinesJourney.com

If you’d like to donate to either my channel or my charity, please use my PayPal Business link. It’s on my channel page https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=Y8KNAN8MHAPSS

Also my CASH APP link is: https://cash.app/$dcbornrob

To reach Andres (driver) w/Nomad Travel see below: www.NomadTravel.co WhatsApp Number: +57-314-629-9065

Need a Dentist? Contact my dentist Dr. Carlos Maury Lopez @+57-300-451-7009 Email: [email protected]

To join our community group, Colombia Bound, please email me your WhatsApp number and name to [email protected]. I only use the WhatsApp number as a reference. It’s not in the group.

Need any graphical work? Please use my Fiverr link: http://www.fiverr.com/s2/c20fd236ca

Looking for an AirBnb, please use my link? https://www.airbnb.com/c/rchristian57?referral_share_id=67e36f7b-ed41-4c8c-8a9e-26fbd1c29e94

Gracias por ver mi canal de YouTube, “Erasing Borders”. Mi objetivo final es motivar a otros a viajar. Realmente creo que viajar cambia quién eres para mejor. Perspectivas diferentes; realidad diferente. Espero motivar y alentar a otros a obtener su pasaporte y explorar nuestro país y el resto del mundo.

Suscríbete y no dudes en comunicarte con nosotros en cualquier momento en los comentarios.

#Philippines2022 #MyksPhilippineJourney #PhilippinesReopening

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Myk's Philippine Journey

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About Myk's Philippine Journey

• Explore Myk's Philippine Journey's YouTube presence with 22427 subscribers and 866 videos. Experience the cumulative impact of 3185188 views across Myk's Philippine Journey's engaging content.
• Have you seen our new channel Filipina Reactions? Join Now https://www.youtube.com/@FilipinaReaction?sub_confirmation=1 Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/myksPhilippineJourney?sub_confirmation=1 JOIN our Discord @ https://discord.gg/crurQ6NDjp Check out our Youtube Store at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTfHKQ9fbUEiStUAQEax7dw/store/store Dont forget to hit the Likes 👍 and Subscribe And if you want: Buy Me Coffee ☕️ https://bit.ly/3HiukhU Buy me Beer 🍻 https://bit.ly/3JNM3zt Join us as we dive into the rich tapestry of Filipino culture, customs, and traditions. From understanding the nuances of dating etiquette to unraveling the complexities of Filipino family dynamics, we've got you covered. Our goal is to equip you with the knowledge and understanding you need to forge meaningful connections and build lasting relationships with Filipinas #Filipina #Philippines #PassportBros

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From being a 'curious' foreigner to a naturalized Pinoy: A Canadian vlogger's journey to ‘Becoming Filipino’

By Melanie Uson Published Jun 12, 2023 4:17 pm Updated Jun 12, 2023 8:48 pm

Canadian vlogger Kyle Jennerman spent a huge chunk of his life exploring different corners of the world, including Europe and Southeast Asia. Twenty-nine countries later, in 2013, he finally set foot in the Philippines—and it changed his life forever.

From being a “curious” foreigner, he has become a travel vlogger dedicated to learning and sharing the beauty of the country—from the northernmost part of Luzon to the far-flung areas in Mindanao. He posts his videos on his YouTube channel BecomingFilipino , which he described as “an adventure, the journey of a 26-year-old Canadian trying to Become Filipino.” 

“I don’t have a Filipino passport and it would be almost impossible for me to get one. Truth is, I will never be able to say ‘I am Filipino,’” he, who goes by his Filipino nickname Kulas, wrote in his bio . “But there are so many simple beautiful things that I have experienced and witnessed that make up Filipino culture, things that I would be honored to learn from, and be honored to share with the world around me.”

Little did he know that a decade later, he’d be able to turn his YouTube name into a reality. The Philippine Senate unanimously approved the bill (House Bill 7185) intended to grant Kulas his Filipino citizenship in late May, taking him another step closer to officially becoming a Filipino. He’s just one signature away—from President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.—for it to finally take effect.

Curiosity piqued Kulas 

Kulas used to work as an outdoor educator in Hong Kong in 2012, where he had 15 Filipino colleagues-turned-friends who kept boasting about the beauty of their homeland and ended up convincing him to see it for himself.

“I started to notice then that these guys [Filipinos] are super cool. They were always so positive and good vibes. On a weekend, we started hanging out so I started becoming friends with them, “patak-patak” or chip in, eat together, drink together, have fun,” he told PhilSTAR L!fe .

“They just started talking about the Philippines, and kind of convinced me to come on a trip. So, on Jan. 17, 2013, I flew to Cebu, and I spent a week there, also in Northern Mindanao, like Cayagan De Oro, a little bit in Davao and Manila, [while] visiting my work colleagues,” he added.

Kulas recalled how his first PH trip made him feel overwhelmed in a good way—how Filipinos “are so positive—like [they] find ways to just be happy and have fun and share happiness no matter what they’re doing. No matter if it was a tough day or a really good day, they really find ways to share happiness.”

While he had to go back to Hong Kong for work, he still kept thinking about the Philippines and found himself wanting to know more about the country. “Later that year, I came back again,” he said, sharing that he lived in Cebu for a month and a half, and then in Cagayan De Oro for the same period. “I kind of got really immersed because I was living in a compound with families—like you have titas and titos, manangs, and manongs—these colleagues and families kind of took me in.”

Kulas returned to Hong Kong again to continue with his duties and responsibilities at work, but it didn’t take long for him to find another reason to come back to the Philippines: the super typhoon Yolanda , which claimed thousands of lives and affected millions of people in Central Visayas in November 2013. “I was in Hong Kong working, and one of our friends who I worked with was from Tacloban. So, it hit me really hard because I’m becoming quite inspired by the country that year.”

Without having second thoughts, he left his job in HK. “I ended up leaving my job at that time, and I went to Cagayan de Oro to meet some of my friends from the outdoor community and then I went to Tacloban and ended up staying a month there, [from] November [to] December.”

The entire experience, which included some interaction with the locals, served as an eye-opener for him. “I was driving a motor with my friend, and we saw a family. They were hanging out in the big boat. I remember interacting with them for at least 15 minutes, apir, giving them my sunglasses, the kids were playing,” he recalled.  

“Right before leaving, I asked them: ‘Hey what you guys are doing?’ ‘Well, we’re digging our dead lola under the boat.’ Again, I can talk for hours about the month I spent there at that time, but it was really a big eye-opener, the resiliency of people here—the ability to find ways to be happy and to share that with people even in that most horrendous situation,” mused Kulas.

From building ‘BecomingFilipino’ to becoming Filipino

Taking off from that eye-opener, Kulas started his journey as a vlogger for BecomingFilipino —a YouTube channel where he shares his thrilling adventures in the rural parts of the country as he actively immerses himself in Filipino culture. 

“That's when I decided, ‘Hey, I think I'm gonna start something called BecomingFilipino. ’ But the interesting thing is that it wasn’t me trying to become a Filipino, like the goal was never to get citizenship, or something like that—it was having so many beautiful experiences, inspiring experiences that become a part of my life from Filipinos,” he explained. 

For over a decade and counting, Kulas has anchored on these four purposes of his content for his channel: to introduce Filipinos and their culture to the world, to create a platform for all things positively Pinoy, to educate international tourists on how they can make the most of their visit and develop “better intentions that could benefit both Filipinos and foreigners," and to fight the stigma on Mindanao as some tend to react negatively upon finding out he has been there, citing concerns about the “dangers of terrorism.”

“I'm just gonna wake up, take things one day at a time, I'll just try my best to share positive education and pursue these four purposes,” the vlogger said.

Although becoming a naturalized Filipino wasn’t a part of his plans at first, Kulas recalled how Biñan City Rep representative Marlyn Alonte opened the idea to him one day and changed his mind.

“First few weeks, I actually just stopped and thought. I didn’t tell anyone, [including] my parents, my girlfriend, my barkada. 'Okay, this is a very deep and very intense and personal thing,’ so I need to think: ‘Do I deserve this?’”

While he realized it was not for him to answer, he was sure about two things: the solid relationship he has built with Filipinos and his immense love for the Philippines as a whole. “I spent basically my entire young adult life here, immersed with Filipinos, growing as a human. The Philippines has become who I am, so I said ‘Okay, maybe I could get a little bit comfortable with this, maybe this is something I feel comfortable pursuing.’”

After all, his Filipinoness by choice has become evident in him through the years. Aside from his warm smiles and pure enthusiasm, the ability of Pinoys to power through even in the worst of situations has also been deeply ingrained in him.

“The innate ability of Filipinos to find ways to be happy and share it, I think it’s incredibly powerful and something that the rest of the world can really learn from,” he said. “That’s the major kicker that got me my life here.” 

While being positive has significantly helped him feel good and move forward in life, it doesn’t mean that he isn't aware of the negative things that are happening in the country. “It just means I'm choosing to take these things on and try to find a little positive among them and focus on that,” he said. 

Now that Kulas is just a step away from officially becoming a naturalized Pinoy, he will continue to do one thing and one thing only, no matter the outcome of it all: “to be the best Filipino I can be.”

TAGS: BecomingFilipino Kyle Jennermann Filipino citizenship

Melanie Uson

Melanie Uson is a content producer and a fur mom. When she’s not drowning in deadlines, she is most likely watching sitcoms, crocheting, or thrift-flipping clothes.

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Daydreaming in Paradise

Art, Lifestyle, Restaurant, Travel & Vacation Reviews

30 Best Travel YouTube Channels in the Philippines

The past decade or so has seen the rise of unique work titles like influencer, content creator , and last but not least— travel blogger. With tickets so widely affordable and information easier than ever to disseminate, travel bloggers Philippines lead the charge in satisfying the Filipino’s sense of wanderlust.

A cursory search of “Filipino vloggers” will net you a long list of Philippine travel blog and video channels. Looking for a budget travel blog Philippines? They’ve got it. Want a video on the ins and outs of Taiwan travel blog Philippines? It’s all there. If there’s one thing Filipinos have, it’s a sense of adventure, and this new era of video lets them achieve it in style.

Curious to see what’s up and where to go in the Philippines? Here’s a list of the best travel YouTube channels and travel bloggers Philippines.

Tourism Philippines

You can’t start off a list of Philippine travel channels without talking about Tourism Philippines. The official YouTube channel of the Department of Tourism, it’s one of the best ways to get information and travel inspiration on sites in the Philippines. They have several playlists on local delicacies, diving destinations, virtual tours, and more, so you can be sure there’s a little something for everyone.

Check out Tourism Philippines at their YouTube channel here .

Our Awesome Planet

One of the most well known Philippine travel blog sites around, Our Awesome Planet is making waves on YouTube, too. Check out their channel for videos on the country’s top tourism sites, food hubs, and so much more. With OAP being one of the top blogs in Southeast Asia, you’re sure to get quality content.

Check out Our Awesome Planet at their YouTube channel here .

Hour Philippines TV

A top choice for videos on food, travel, and the nightlife both in the Philippines and outside of it, Hour Philippines TV is basically a one stop shop. Looking for a Singapore travel blog Philippines perspective? How about a walkthrough of one of the busiest parts of Boracay? They’ve got you covered. If you’re looking for foreign and local perspectives on travel as a Filipino, this is where to go.

Check out Hour Philippines TV on their YouTube channel here .

Alex Gonzaga

No list of Philippine bloggers is complete without Alex Gonzaga. While this actress and host has a ton of credits under her belt, the best look at life through her eyes is on her YouTube channel. While it’s filled with tons of different topics, her funny and creative travel content makes her one of the most entertaining Filipino travel vloggers around.

Check out Alex Gonzaga on her YouTube channel here .

Wil Dasovich

Filipino-American Wil Dasovich has become a familiar name in the Philippine bloggers and Filipino vloggers list. One of the biggest successes for vlogging in the country, he’s got videos on a variety of topics. Some of his best work is on travel, though, so make sure to give those videos a watch.

Check out Wil Dasovich on his YouTube channel here .

Erwan Heussaff

Also known for his expert opinions on food and lifestyle, Erwan Heussaff has the added distinction of being a top travel blogger Philippines. He’s got tons of detailed videos on travel both in and out of the country. With top production levels and soothing voiceovers, his work is a great choice for travel inspo.

Check out Erwan Heussaff on his YouTube channel here .

Bogart the Explorer

Exemplifying that unique brand of Filipino humor, Bogart the Explorer— played by Mark Ho— is one of the most entertaining Philippine vloggers around. Probably one of the first online entertainers in the Philippine blogosphere, he has an off-kilter, quirky approach to performing that has had Filipino audiences laughing for years. Focusing on travel and iconic elements of Filipino culture, his work is great entertainment for any place, any time.

Check out Bogart the Explorer on the PaperbugTV YouTube channel here .

Looking for a travel-focused channel that makes it seem fun and easy? Avelovinit is where you want to be. Known for her crazy solo travel adventures and fun, adventurous lifestyle, she’s one of the best travel vloggers in the country. With videos that span the tropical islands of the Philippines to far-off Central and South America, Patricia Averilla has absolutely got the range. Check her out for unique sights, out of the box getaways, and more.

Check out Avelovinit on her YouTube channel here .

Pamela Swing

Funny, quirky, and out of this world, Pamela Swing ranks high on Filipino vloggers list for a reason. Not afraid to have a good laugh, she’s got an entertaining perspective on several different topics. Her travel vlogs are especially good, focusing on locations that millennial and Gen Z Filipinos are sure to enjoy, so make sure to check out her Korea travel blog Philippines look for more.

Check out Pamela Swing on her YouTube channel here .

Mikey Bustos

Well known for his song parodies and incredible humor, Mikey Bustos is a man of many talents. He’s got a ton of great info on science and lifestyle, too, with his channel antscanada garnering millions of subscribers. But if you want to virtually travel the world and have a good laugh, he’s your guy.

Check out Mikey Bustos on his YouTube channel here .

BecomingFilipino

Looking for more information on off-the-beaten-path sites in the Philippines? Surprisingly, the best person for that information isn’t actually Filipino— yet. Canadian Kyle Jennerman’s video project BecomingFilipino has been going strong for several years now. He’s explored everywhere from the tallest mountains of Luzon to the pristine beaches of Mindanao. Check out his channel for adventures in unlikely places and the best of Philippine travel.

Check out BecomingFilipino on his YouTube channel here .

Joan’s Footprints

Want the real deal when it comes to millennial and Gen Z travel? Joan’s Footprints is a travel vlogger in her early twenties living the best years of her life. Join her on adventures both in the country and out of it as she explores the best of what the world has to offer. Not sure where to start? Try out her upload on her Siargao adventures and expect to see and learn much more.

Check out Joan’s Footprints on her YouTube channel here .

Jundie Pijoto

A native of Surigao City, Jundie Pijoto is a travel vlogger and filmmaker with a ton of locations under his belt. Check out his work for some beautiful shots on local and international tourist sites. Jundie has both tropical and temperate countries covered, with information on some of the top favorite travel sites for Filipinos. He’s also got some helpful information on working as an OFW in South Korea.

Check out Jundie Pijoto on his YouTube channel here .

Renz Bulseco

It’s not often that you find a perspective on travel that’s got behind the scenes experience. Renz Bulseco is a travel blogger, vlogger, and air traffic controller. His YouTube channel is where he documents his work in the airline industry, as well as his travels around the world. If you’re interested in the ins and outs of traveling— especially when it comes to the machines we use to jet around the world— then Renz’s channel might have exactly what you’re looking for.

Check out Renz Bulseco on his YouTube channel here .

Bisayang Hilaw

Sometimes the best perspectives on the Philippines come from outside eyes. Bisayang Hilaw is the project of Carson Moody, a native of Utah, USA. It documents his adventures traveling around the Philippines, as well as his perspectives on Filipino culture, food, and language. In this channel, you get treated to a range of different viewing experiences: travel vlogs, entertaining challenges, and even language learning. Bisayang Hilaw makes packing up your life to move halfway across the world look fun, fresh, and exciting.

Check out Bisayang Hilaw on his YouTube channel here .

Mikael Daez

Looking for things to bingewatch over the next few hours? Try Mikael Daez’s YouTube channel. Home to travel vlogs and regular vlogs, it’s where you get to watch him (and wife Megan Young) tackle the adventure of living with good humor. Mikael is an actor, host, model, and news anchor, but he’s perhaps best known nowadays for his charming videos with Boneezy (his nickname for Megan). Watch as they explore the Philippines and the world with humor, a sense of adventure, and so much more.

Check out Mikael Daez on his YouTube channel here .

James Gonzales is a Filipino-American travel enthusiast and writer currently based in the Philippines. After living and working in New York for 10 years, James decided he wanted to see more of the world and leave the city behind. In the course of saving up for what would become an epic trip across Asia, he wrote about previous traveling experiences for various travel websites and publications based in the Lower East Side.

James focused on journeying through the Philippines in the hopes of understanding his roots, and began Daydreaming in Paradise to share his thoughts and experiences. He’s always looking for like-minded travelers to trade stories and swap tips with, and he hopes you’ll join him on his journey.

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Best Info For Adult Travelers Visiting The Philippines

Are you planning to visit the philippines.

In this site we will provide you with every information needed to make your visit to the Philippines safe and enjoyable. Take advantage of our information on what to bring, where to go, how to stay safe, where are good places to stay and many more amazing information that will be beneficial for you.

Stop by Our Merch Store For More

We have many Tshirts and other merchandise such as Coffee Mugs, Face Masks, and Even Things For the Ladies

Frequently Asked Questions About The Philippines

Where should first time visitors go.

I would always suggest that first time visitors first stay within the main areas with the airports. Such as the Manila or Cebu area

Where Would be a Good Place to Stay?

There are plenty of hotels to stay in the Philippines, all depends on your price range. I always recommend to try AirBnB

Where are good places to stay if going for Medical Tourism

Manila and Cebu are great places for medical tourism. Look for our future articles regarding finding great & cheap places.

Can Foreigners Own Land in the Philippines?

Currently foreigners cant own land directly in the Philippines. We can own condos or we can lease a land and build a house.

Is It Safe in the Philippines?

If you go to bad places you will experience bad things. Just use common sense and watch the videos and blogs we share

Is The Southern Part of the Philippines Safe?

All depends on the area. Be aware that there have been conflicts in the south. Although Davao City and Cagayan De Oro are safe areas and are amazing to see.

Thank You For Stoping By Our Site. more Information Will Be Added Through The Months and Years

Feel free to help if you like the content.

The Surprising Story of Journey’s Filipino Frontman

Well, it’s actually not that surprising once you learn about musical culture in the philippines..

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Guys weaned on Led Zeppelin aren’t supposed to like Journey. Yet, decades beyond my rock ‘n roll formative years, I proudly stand in a crowd of Journey fans in Saratoga, New York, enamored with the band’s new Filipino lead singer, Arnel Pineda—the same singer who, a year prior, I watched perform cover tunes in dingy downtown Manila bars where wobbly ceiling fans swatted flying cockroaches. Having previously zigzagged across the Philippines in search of the keys to their native musical genius, I must admit I wasn’t surprised to witness Pineda’s rise to fame.

Arnel Pineda performing with The Zoo (before fronting Journey)

Photo by Bruce Northam

During my third trip through the Philippines, Southeast Asia’s only Christian country, I sought to answer the question: Why are the Philippines the rock-and-roll engine for the rest of Asia? From Hong Kong to Singapore and back up to Tokyo or Beijing , if there’s a skilled rock band on stage, they’re likely Filipino.

The Spanish colonial era that began in 1565 introduced guitars, choirs, and the art of serenading to the Philippines. This Eurasian hybrid—linked to the Renaissance—set the stage for a nation hooked on music. Historically, Filipinos have a song for every occasion, such as planting rice, fishing at night, and courting sweethearts. The Filipino serenade was inspired by the old-style Spanish romantic scenario: A guy shows up with his guitar outside his dream girl’s home and croons a love song. If she opens her window to listen and sings a song in response, he’s in; if the window doesn’t budge, it’s off to voice lessons or another gal’s house. Nearly every Filipino man I met born before 1960 had vivid recollections of serenading his eventual wife—or being shot down in flames.

Arreceffi Island, Philippines

My musical mission first led me to sand-and-ungle fringed Palawan, a narrow 250-mile-long island bisected by an imposing spine of limestone mountains. One of 7,017 Philippine islands, this is where I met Bing, a charming mother of five. She was serenaded at 2 a.m. by her eventual husband, who wasn’t put off by her underwhelming appearance at the window—her face at the time was encrusted with otherwise beautifying talcum powder. It was true love from the get-go.

Music wriggled its way into the Philippine heart long before the Spanish towed in stone cannonballs and religion. Palawan’s indigenous lowland Aboriginals, the Tagbanuas, expressed feelings of love in singing poems inspired by the inexhaustible variety of sounds in nature. They imitated the singing of insects and birds and created a bird scale that mimics musical notation. That birdlore vocabulary continues to bond men and women of the jungle.

In the 1980s, karaoke was invented by a Filipino man and then sold to a Japanese investor. It overtook the Philippines and modernized the serenade. Then, jukebox-style videoke began booming from street corners, bars, and malls. While American-style signs of affection play out as pricey gifts, horse-drawn carriage rides, and scoreboard proposals—most American men sing to their women only to humor them—Filipinos still sing to theirs as if their futures depend on it.

After Spain’s rule gave way to American colonization, the U.S. built schools in practically every village and taught the Filipino people English. Hollywood was also delivered to their doorstep. The Vietnam-era military bases needed entertaining, so Filipino rock, jazz, and lounge bands surfaced and thrived. Base towns became hubs for live Western music, which inspired many to pick up a guitar and sing. American soldiers also left behind a legacy of vintage guitars. Hundreds of collectors’ guitars—mostly Gibsons—found permanent homes in the Philippines. Turkey may have claimed the world’s “East Meets West” slogan, but it also justly describes the Philippines’s music scene.

Modern Manila, a mega-city of 15 million, is traditional yet faddish, Asian in character, but Western in disposition. Still hunting for the history behind the Filipino love of music, I was unaware that their irrepressible musicality was about to storm America until I caught wind that the iconic 1980’s rock band, Journey, had just auditioned a Filipino named Arnel Pineda as their new lead vocalist—and that same singer was fronting his Manila-based rock cover band, The Zoo, in a few hours. I sat in the front row and introduced myself to Arnel between sets. He sat with me and explained that Journey’s guitarist admired his covers of the band’s hits on YouTube and flew him to California. Only a few days after his tryout, it was supernatural to witness this still unknown would-be star rock out in a random, smoky Manila bar.

Arnel Pineda is not yet famous, but still happy.

While the decision to hire Arnel had still not been made, I interviewed him after two more Manila shows. His arena-rocking potential was obvious. A month later, Journey announced him as their new vocalist, as well as a world tour. A Filipino fronting a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-bound band was the biggest entertainment news ever in the Philippines, outshining Filipino Lea Salonga’s Tony Award-winning role in Miss Saigon .

Before Arnel was launched out of obscurity and into the world spotlight, the youthful, unassuming 40-year-old was armed only with standard Filipino politeness. He insisted that his birthplace was “a big sponge that’s open to world music.” No stranger to smiling, he added, “We grew up breathing music, it’s in our veins.”

Some may call it luck, but Arnel was well-prepared for this opportunity. His mother, a tailor who passed away when he was 13, began grooming him via in-home performances at age five. Born into poverty, he was competing in local singing competitions by age seven. He went pro at 15, initially showcasing his vocal range in malls and later throughout the Philippines and other parts of Asia. His story was also punctuated by spells of hunger and homelessness.

It seems almost everybody in the Philippines can carry a tune. Women sing to nobody in particular, as they stare into internet café computer screens; a man whistles as he stands before a urinal; cab drivers croon along with their radios; maids belt out while working; a teenaged boy strums a guitar on a street corner, practicing a puppy love song. Like Brazilians and the Irish, few Filipinos are performance shy, because music—from liturgical to metal—is bred into their souls. Although karaoke machines are displacing windowsill serenades, my faith was restored as my Philippine Airlines flight touched down in California, and two flight attendants seated in the jump seats facing me began singing to each other. Music celebrates a universal love, and there’s no greater invitation to love than singing about it.

When Arnel Pineda first toured the world with Journey, he invited me backstage in Saratoga Springs, NY, where he was about to dazzle 25,000 wildly cheering fans. After a hug and a handshake, we reflected on how things had changed for him since our smoky bar-room conversations in Manila. It was a fleeting moment to revel in his rags-to-riches story. It’s rare to successfully replace the lead singer of an iconic band. Van Halen and AC/DC pulled it off, as did Journey. Before heading to center stage, he said, “If my mom was alive today, she would have been so proud.” His body may have been on cloud nine, but his familial heart was beating aloud. I reminded him that I wanted to write his biography. Walking into the spotlight, he turned around and nodded a yes.

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Pop Culture Happy Hour

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Silverdocs: How Journey Found A New Lead Singer And Made Friends In Manila

Linda Holmes

Arnel Pineda became the lead singer of Journey in late 2007. Silverdocs hide caption

Arnel Pineda became the lead singer of Journey in late 2007.

One of the oddest things about the story of Arnel Pineda is that it's not actually quite as odd as it might seem.

Pineda was a bar and club singer working in Manila in 2007, doing some original material but finding an audience mostly for his covers, when he got an e-mail from Neal Schon, the guitarist from Journey. Schon had seen videos of Pineda performing on YouTube and asked him to come to San Francisco and audition to become the band's new lead singer. From Journey fan to Journey member, because of YouTube.

That's the hook of Don't Stop Believin': Everyman's Journey , which opened Silverdocs on Monday night. Director Ramona S. Diaz followed Pineda and the band from the time shortly after he started rehearsing with them through their very successful 2008 tour and their – the word is a cliché, but it applies – triumphant show in Manila in March 2009 when they brought him back home a hero, the successful lead singer of an iconic American band.

There is a certain fairytale quality to all of it – the guy who was singing Journey covers when he suddenly got The Call – but really, it's not that weird. Schon didn't stumble on him accidentally or get an e-mail from someone that said "You've got to see this guy!!!"; he found Pineda while specifically searching YouTube for lead singers, because it's a not-unusual way to find musicians. Maybe he was even looking for lead singers doing Journey songs. Maybe even for lead singers doing Journey songs who sounded a lot like former lead singer Steve Perry – which Pineda surely does. Other than the fact that he was in the Philippines, Schon found his guy the way he set out to find him.

Pineda isn't quite as young as he sometimes seems in the film; he can seem like a kid, but he turned 41 during the 2008 tour. He's a stretch younger than guys like Schon, who's pushing 60, but he's not Justin Bieber being plucked from YouTube because he's never done anything. The story threatens at times to become a wacky internet novelty, but at its best, it's something a bit more satisfying than that. At its best, it's about a working singer – not a YouTube fluke, but a working, day-in-day-out singer who's been playing for years and years – can suddenly find himself jumped to the head of the line, playing to 22,000 people with musicians he's admired all his life. It doesn't have a lot to do with YouTube; the better story is about a band taking a huge risk on a completely unknown quantity because they need a guy and they found one they think will be a fit.

(As a side note, as tempting as the "Don't Stop Believin'" title is, I would have gone with a variation on "Journeyman." Just a suggestion, pun-wise.)

The best parts of the film focus on Pineda; he has a playful attitude toward his own sometimes overwhelming anxiety about the situation into which he's been thrust. He turns out to be a terrific fit for the band, despite his own comment that partly because he's "so Asian," he looks like they Photoshopped him in when Journey has photos taken. In fact, one of the guys in the band comments that bringing something a little more "international" to the "all-American" group is probably an advantage – a prediction that proves true when Pineda helps the band develop an impassioned following of Filipino-American fans in addition to the people back home in Manila. (The security team notes at one point that for some of Arnel's fans, he's "like Elvis.")

But at almost two hours, the film feels long. It comes to what seems like a natural ending at one point, and then it goes on for probably another 20 minutes. There are some background segments on the general history of Journey that don't seem to have been made with the love that went into the Pineda-era stuff, and a persistent subplot about Pineda getting colds and drinking tean — while care of the voice makes a nice tour detail — keeps coming back and back and back but never really goes anywhere.

Then there is also the problem of "Don't Stop Believin'" itself. I don't think it's a spoiler – I really, truly cannot imagine how it could be – to tell you that the film builds to the performance of that particular song. This tour happened after The Sopranos put "Don't Stop Believin'" in the spotlight but before Glee put it there again, and the closing titles of the film point out that it's now the most downloaded song written in the 20 th century. But at some point, waiting for it becomes a bit of a tease, and the build to the performance (and the holding out on playing much of that song after playing most of Journey's others that are well-known, sometimes more than once) turns into a game. I would have dropped the bomb a little sooner, just to avoid the sense of inevitability.

But the film is fun, and it's worth seeing, not because it's the tale of an internet sensation, but because it's the tale of a bunch of guys who really, really want to hear crowds scream – either again or for the first time ever. As much as it's about how a band lifted an unknown singer into a dreamlike world of screaming crowds and far more money than he'd ever known, it's also about how a band found just the right guy at just the right time to help capitalize on the surprise comeback of one of the band's most famous songs. Pineda says at one point that it's like hitting the lotto, what happened to him, but in truth, Schon hit the lotto, too. You can see the guys standing around him at certain moments, looking at him or watching him perform, realizing that he's incredibly grateful to them, but in fact, without him, they are out of luck .

There's an argument to be made that when you set out to find your new lead singer looking specifically for someone who can sing your existing hits and make them sound just like they did when your old lead singer sang them – rather than being primarily focused on a guy who can contribute to whatever your next identity is – you run the risk of essentially covering your own music. Under this theory, Pineda was originally recruited to be the lead singer of the most famous Journey cover band in the world – the one called Journey. But they have since released two albums of new material, and it seems to be a little more than that. It may even be a little more than Schon expected to find on YouTube.

Travel with Karla

the teacher who loves to travel

Journey Through The Philippines

It’s more fun in the philippines..

In my two years living in Korea, I’ve met a lot of travelers. Whenever I tell them that I’m from the Philippines, I can see the excitement on their face. They keep on telling me how beautiful my country is.

Ironically, I must admit that I explored more of Korea than Philippines. First, when I started working in the Philippines, my salary isn’t enough to afford the luxury of traveling. Second, it’s hard to travel around the Philippines because of the complex transportation. People have to ride a boat or an airplane to get to different parts of the Philippines unlike in Korea, I only took the very efficient subway and the bus.

Due to a lot of foreigner friends telling me how beautiful Philippines is, I’ve decided to go home and explore the Philippines! In the past months, I’ve visited Caramoan Islands , Albay , and Batangas .

Just a week ago, I read a book called “Journey Through The Philippines”. It is beautifully written by Kiki Deere  and published by  Tuttle Publishing. The book has two parts: Introducing the Philippines & Exploring the Philippines.

The first part features the Filipino Culture. I love how the book showcases the Filipino food, Filipino artisans and artists, Filipino Feasts and Fiesta and of course, the wonders of nature.

I hate to admit it but I haven’t been to almost all of the feasts illustrated in the book. I’m amazed that a foreigner explored the Philippines more than most of the locals did. Next year, I’ll make sure to witness some of the festivals mentioned in the book.

Product details

• Hardcover: 112 pages
• Publisher:  Tuttle Publishing; Hardcover with Jacket edition (June 20, 2017)
• Language:  English
• ISBN-10:  0804846898
• ISBN-13:  978-0804846899
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 12 inches

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Great book to learn about and explore the Philippines. I read a lot about the country and still want to know more. Thanks for introducing the book to us,

It is amazing to think that sometimes travelers have explored our countries more than we have but I agree with you that is a visually stunning outlook into journeying in the Philippines. I would love to go one day x

I woudl love to visit the phillipines, I have a friend who travelled there in our twenties and she still speaks of it now.

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