MANILA, Philippines — Hollywood actress Vanessa Hudgens is currently visiting the Philippines, her mother’s birth country for the first time, to film a documentary exploring her Filipino heritage.
Part of the Filipino-American celebrity’s visit was a courtesy call on President Bongbong Marcos at Malacañang on Thursday, during which she was also named Global Tourism Ambassador for the Philippines.
At a presscon yesterday that was moderated by television host Boy Abunda, she spoke about her experience in the Philippines so far.
“It’s a little bit of everything. It’s got paradise. It’s got the metropolitan city. It’s got kindness, everybody is so warm, so friendly. The people here are very unique. You know, everyone is just so warm. I feel like I haven’t met anyone who seems like they’re having a bad day. The hospitality is unmatched. It’s no wonder and it’s just a really magical place,” she gushed.
Dropping more details about her forthcoming docu, she said, “Well, it’s a really intimate look at my experience in the Philippines for the very first time.
“We are really discovering this beautiful land, its wonderful people and just really getting in touch with the piece of myself that has always been there, but I’ve never known intimately.”
Vanessa, whose docu is directed and produced by Presidential Adviser on Creative Communications Paul Soriano, said she already couldn’t wait to come back.
“I feel like the time that I have spent here has been so incredible and so special, but I need more time. The country is so big, it has so much to offer. I’m a big beach girl. There’s so many beautiful beaches here that I still have to go to. I want to go hang out with the tribes. There’s just so much to do. I haven’t even done shopping,” Vanessa said.
Though it took some time to make her way here, she shared what she knew about the country and culture growing up. On her mom’s side, Vanessa’s Filipino roots are from Ozamiz in Misamis Occidental and Cebu.
“I mean, it’s always about the families. You know very much about the closeness of your family, how when someone gets married, they like move into a family home… You don’t leave the house, you know, everybody sticks together. But like I didn’t really know much about like the history, the lineage and like what the vibe was, honestly,” she said.
But now that she’s gotten older and looking to settle down, the actress who got engaged early this year to baseball star Cole Tucker wants to explore her Filipino side more.
“I’m in my 30s now. I’m thinking about raising a family and I want to be able to like, know my heritage, so that I can bring that forth and so that my kids can know about their background, they can know more about their own blood,” Vanessa, who was accompanied on this trip by her mom Gina and sister Stella, said.
Meanwhile, Gina Guangco, Vanessa’s mom, said what it was like raising Vanessa and her sibling in the US.
“Raising two girls in America, I tried to infuse the Filipino culture. Kindness is No. 1 and not to forget who they are and be true to themselves because that’s the only way how we can be, you know, a good example to other people,” she said.
Asked in turn how her mom “shaped” her, Vanessa said, “I am who I am because of her. We are all products of our parents, especially our mother… they are the ones who bring us to this world.
“But my mom has always been very, very, very supportive, very kind, very grounded and humble and I feel like that really has given me the outlook that I have today.”
Meanwhile, the High School Musical star who has her own production outfit said she was open to working in the Philippines and film a movie here.
“Yes, of course, I mean, it would be a wonderful excuse to be here. I’m trying to spend as much time as I can here now,” she said.
When asked on the other hand if she'd be open to marry in the Philippines, she said, “I mean, if it was just me and my fiance eloping yes, but we’re not so…” then laughingly begged off from talking further about her personal life. “I don’t know, there’s so many things… that’s a personal conversation that we don’t need to talk about here, in front of everybody.”
Vanessa also gave some advice to aspiring artists who’d like to follow in her footsteps. “I feel like the most important thing with the entertainment industry and the thing that I personally value the most is telling the stories. It doesn’t necessarily matter on what scale and to me, the reason I think why I am where I am is because it’s always been about the stories that I’m passionate about.
“If you’re trying to get famous, if that’s your goal, don’t do it with the entertainment industry. Go figure out something but not in film because it’s a really sacred thing. I think that’s really important to remember. It’s not about fame. It’s about telling stories that you’re passionate about telling stories that move people and that means you.”