Five young adventurers and their friends will be embarking on a trip of a lifetime for Cebu Pacific’s Juan for Fun 2019.
Out of thousands of nominees this year, Cebu Pacific has chosen five passion-driven travelers out who aim to cultivate a deeper appreciation for the country and understand more about different cultures.
The individuals are: Dariel Vallez, an agriculture graduate from Northern Mindanao who wants to travel to promote farming to the youth; Bin Nur Magangcong, a Marawi siege survivor from ARMM who hopes to champion peace, understanding and diversity in different Filipino cultures; Jeric Cabanillas, a local artist with the heart to educate children in Palawan and in other communities; Jessica Resch, a Cebuana who founded an NGO that reaches out to less fortunate kids in the Visayas; and Artus Enriquez, a young bird watcher based in the National Capital Region who aims to protect endemic species in the country and promote biodiversity conservation.
The five team leaders will get to bring along two companions who share the same hunger for enriching travel experiences to journey around the Philippines.
Now on its eighth year, Cebu Pacific’s Juan for Fun has evolved from being a competitive contest for teams of first-time travelers and backpackers to an experiential trip for youth aged 18-24 who want to travel with a purpose and make a lasting difference in their own communities.
More than just sharing captivating photos and garnering likes on social media, this year’s run highlights meaningful travel and inspiring young individuals who Cebu Pacific officials call “the most woke” batch, some of whom have already founded their own NGOs and achieved significant work in their hometowns.
Each team will receive adventure passports with travel itineraries featuring Cebu Pacific destinations such as Bacolod, Mindoro, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Puerto Princesa and Siargao. Destinations this year were chosen to match the passions of the wide-eyed wanderers.
22-year old Bin Nur Magangcong from Mindanao State University in Marawi, who joined the contest after seeing a post on his Facebook timeline, shared that aside from learning about the culture and heritage in other destinations, one of his goals is to promote the culture of the Maranaos, which many people are not that familiar with.
“Pag naririnig mo Marawi, more of conflict or war. Yun yung presumed notion ng mga tao. I want to change it somehow and develop understanding through travel by sharing our stories. We can build a relationship with others, like with fellow contestants. Pag tinatanong ng mga tao, ano na ang nangyayari sa Marawi, na-shashare din naming yung stories. Gusto namin ipakita na ok naman ngayon sa Marawi. Half the city may be in ruins, but the other half is busy with rebuilding efforts” said Magangcong.
During the send-off party for teams at the new Dusit Thani in Mactan Island in Cebu, the Juan for Fun mentors also took the stage to share practical tips and advice on making the most out of travel. Kyle “Kulas” Jennerman of the blog Becoming Filipino shared personal experiences on how individuals could make an impact when they travel especially on island conservation. TV host and social media personality Joyce Pring gave insights on her personal travel experiences and how important it was not to let one’s past or circumstances define you as an individual. Celebrity and vlogger Mikael Diaz gave tips on trying new cuisines in destinations.
Travel writer Jude Bacalso shared how small efforts in promoting Filipino heritage and culture, such as writing about it or sharing it on social media, can eventually benefit local communities as seen in the documentary series Street Food: Asia on Netflix, which put small food businesses like Entoy’s Bakasihan on the global tourist map.
As a special treat to JFF contestants and media guests, local Cebuano delicacies featured on the Netflix episode were prepared and served by the home cooks and TV personalities, including bakasi (reef eels), lechon (roast pork), lumpia, and tuslob-buwa (an exotic Cebuano brain gravy dish).
Follow the fun and excitement as the teams discover new experiences on their week-long Juan for Fun 2019 at the official Facebook page (@cebupacificJFF) and through the hashtag #JuanforFun2019.