Kulas (vlogger)
Kulas | |
|---|---|
 Kulas in 2019 | |
| Born | Kyle Douglas Jennerman 1987/1988 (age 38–39) Vancouver Island, Canada |
| Other name | Kulas |
| Citizenship | Canadian / Filipino |
| YouTube information | |
| Channel | |
| Years active | 2014–present |
| Genre | Vlog |
| Subscribers | 1.15 million |
| Views | 318 million |
| Last updated: November 25, 2025 | |
| Website | www.becomingfilipino.com (archived) |
Kyle Douglas Jennermann, better known as Kulas, is a Filipino and Canadian travel vlogger.
Life prior to living in the Philippines
Before settling in the Philippines, Jennermann traveled to 29 countries in Europe and Southeast Asia.[1] He last worked as an outdoor recreation educator in Hong Kong, where he became interested in the Philippines through stories shared with him by Filipino colleagues.[1] Initially, Jennermann continued to work in Hong Kong while making repeated trips to the country, with his colleagues inviting him to stay and live with them during his visits. “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.”[1]
The impetus for his decision to permanently move to the Philippines came in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan. Of his decision, he explained, “... 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.” He then spent a month in typhoon-hit Tacloban, an experience he described as “a really big eye-opener”, crediting his time spent there with inspiring him to start his vlog.[1] By 2015, he had completely quit his job in Hong Kong, deciding to commit fully to his vlogging activities.[2]
BecomingFilipino
Social media platforms
BecomingFilipino, Kulas' vlog project, documents his travels across the Philippines, with the goal of introducing Filipino culture to a broader audience, educating foreign tourists, fighting misconceptions and stigmas around Filipino travel (especially to Mindanao), and promoting "better intentions that could benefit both Filipinos and foreigners".[1] As of 2023, his YouTube channel and Instagram account have combined for a total of over 1.1 million subscribers and 229,000 followers.[3] He has also previously maintained a standalone blog where his followers can suggest activities for him to experience.[4]
Television
Kulas has featured in his own television show, Becoming Filipino Your Travel Blog which first airied on ABS-CBN News Channel in August 2016.[2]
Life in the Philippines
Settling in Cagayan de Oro, a hub for much of his activities, Kulas' channels document his experiences as a traveler to different parts of the Philippines as he immerses himself in the local cultures.[5] By February 2023, he had visited 81 of the Philippines' 82 provinces, the lone exception being the province of Sulu.[6]; by March 2024, he had accomplished this visit. One of his most viewed videos features the lantaka.[6]
Kulas has helped in relief operations for the victims of various other typhoons that have impacted the Philippines, as he did for Haiyan back in 2013.[5]
Personal life
Jennerman is a native of Comox Valley in British Columbia, Canada.[7] Having been born around 1987 or 1988 in Vancouver Island, he has Canadian citizenship.[8]
While Kulas has stated that at the outset of his vlogging activities he had not originally aimed to become a Filipino citizen, he was later encouraged by a local congresswoman, Rep. Marlyn Alonte of Biñan, to consider the possibility.[1] Alonte would later sponsor a naturalization bill in the Philippine House of Representatives, complementing an equivalent bill in the Senate filed by Senator Joel Villanueva that proposed to confer Filipino citizenship on him.[6][9] He became a naturalized Filipino as a result of this process in 2023 with the passing of Republic Act No. 11955, which implemented a later consolidation of the two bills into law.[10] Alonte would later administer his oath of allegiance at his swearing-in ceremony on September 13, 2023, formalizing his citizenship.[11] Under Canadian and Philippine laws, Jennerman is permitted to hold dual citizenship of both countries.
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Uson, Melanie (June 12, 2023). "From being a 'curious' foreigner to a naturalized Pinoy: A Canadian vlogger's journey to 'Becoming Filipino'". Philstar Life. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
- 1 2 Donato, Jerry (August 14, 2016). "Becoming Filipino according to Kulas". The Philippines Star. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
- ↑ Santos, Rhea Manila. "Canadian vlogger Becoming Filipino now a naturalized citizen". PUSH. ABS-CBN. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
- ↑ Deveza, JB R. (July 2, 2014). "Canadian wants to be Filipino: Just call him Kulas". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
- 1 2 Torrezaga, Hannah (May 9, 2023). "Canadian vlogger Kyle Jennerman is now officially a Filipino". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
- 1 2 3 Antonio, Raymund (February 1, 2023). "Canadian vlogger 'Kulas' naturalization gets House panel approval". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
- ↑ Yeung, Lien (February 5, 2017). "B.C. man finds unexpected fame in Philippines by sharing 'positivity'". CBC News. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
- ↑ "Bill seeking to grant Filipino citizenship to Canadian vlogger approved". Senate of the Philippines. May 29, 2023. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
- ↑ "Senate Bill No. 1509: GRANTING FILIPINO CITIZENSHIP TO KYLE JENNERMANN". Senate of the Philippines. 19th Congress of the Philippines. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
- ↑ "Republic Act No. 11955" (PDF). Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
- ↑ Lim, Ron (September 15, 2023). "Canadian vlogger Becoming Filipino is now officially a Filipino citizen". GMA Lifestyle. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
External links
- www.becomingfilipino.com (archived)