MANILA, Philippines - In February, the first Bayani Tour will bring a group of Filipino-Americans and three YouTube sensations to the Philippines with the goal of the country to the new generations of Filipino-Americans.
YouTube sensations AJ Rafael, Joseph Vincent and Jeremy Passion have hopped on board with the mission and vision of the Bayani Tour and will be part of the maiden trip. On Kababayan LA on LA18 last month, AJ Rafael professed, “I’m so excited to go the Philippines on the Bayani Tour with my fellow Filipino-American singer/songwriters. It should be a really fun time and it’s always a little more fun in the Philippines.â€
The Bayani Tour aims to unveil the essence of bayanihan to the Filipino-American community and remind them of the common thread that binds Filipinos – that Filipinos around the globe all come from the same origin, the Philippines.
The first Bayani Tour will be held next month. Subsequent Bayani Tours will be announced throughout the year. There are plans for an Adventure Tour, an Eco Tour, and a Summer Bayani Tour. After the maiden trip, the Bayani Tour will be launched in key cities in the Northeast and Midwest.
A person cannot really grasp the essence of Filipino culture until he has physically stepped onto Philippine soil and embraced the look, taste, feel, and smell of the people and the islands. Since it’s no surprise that there is a disconnect between 2nd/3rdgeneration Filipino-Americans and their cultural heritage, the creators of the Bayani Tour felt that such a trip was pertinent and necessary.
The Bayani Tour is spearheaded by Gawad Kalinga USA in partnership with LA on LA18, the Department of Tourism, Redefined magazine, FilAm TV and USG.