Kyle Jennermann, popularly known as “Kulas” and the face behind the vlog ‘Becoming Filipino,’ has officially become a Filipino citizen.
After years of sharing inspiring stories about Filipinos and their culture, the 34-year-old Canadian vlogger proudly announced his newfound Filipino citizenship.
Taking to social media on September 13, Kulas shared the joyful news alongside photos of his Oath of Allegiance ceremony held at the House of Representatives.
He expressed his excitement, saying, “I HAVE OFFICIALLY BECOME A FILIPINO.” He further added, “Today marks the beginning of the most important part of my life. I am ready for this. I am filled with belief, inspiration, gratefulness, and love. One day at a time… Kaya pa.”
Congressman Len Alonte administered the oath-taking, and he was also the principal author of the first House Bill related to Kulas’s naturalization.
Kulas expressed his gratitude to people from all across the country, as well as in Congress and the Senate, for their support and belief in him throughout this journey.
This milestone comes after the Senate unanimously affirmed House Bill 7185 in late May, paving the way for Kulas’s Filipino citizenship. After nearly four months of anticipation, he has now achieved his dream.
Kulas’s deep affection for the Philippines began when he first visited the country in 2013, encouraged by his Filipino colleagues. However, a significant turning point came during the devastating Typhoon Yolanda, which prompted him to leave his job as an outdoor teacher in Hong Kong to assist affected families in the Philippines.
“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,” he shared. “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.”
Kulas later transitioned into a full-time content creator on his YouTube channel, “BecomingFilipino,” where he showcased the beauty of the Philippines’ nature and its people. At that time, obtaining Filipino citizenship was not his goal. It was Congressman Len Alonte who initially proposed the idea, and after reflecting on his decade-long stay in the country, Kulas decided to pursue it.
“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.'”
What endeared him to the Philippines? Kulas pointed to the Filipinos’ remarkable ability to find happiness despite life’s challenges.
“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. That’s the major kicker that got me my life here.”
