A British vlogger’s visit to the Island Garden City of Samal in Davao del Norte turned sour after a teenage boy was caught on video mocking and harassing him, prompting swift action from the local government.
In his August 24 YouTube upload titled “Sometimes It’s NOT Always Fun in The Philippines!”, content creator “Journey of Josh” shared his cliff diving experience, where he encountered a group of local youths. A 16-year-old boy taunted him by saying a younger child was “better” at diving and urged him to jump from a higher cliff. The teen then mocked him for not speaking Bisaya and, in jest, said he would drown him.
“Pagtuon og Bisaya, ‘kol… Niabot man ka og Samal. Di ka kamao mo-bisaya (Learn how to speak Bisaya, bro. You came to Samal and you don’t even know how to speak Bisaya),” the boy said, before adding, “Mao pagtuon kol. Lumsan taka ron (That’s why you should learn or else I’ll drown you).”
The teenager also hurled profanities, asked the vlogger to buy beer, and recorded him while diving. Despite the experience, Josh clarified in his vlog that this should not define Filipinos.
“I just wanna say this is absolutely not representation of the Philippines or the Filipino people as a whole. The vast majority of my experiences here are always positive,” he said, adding that it was more of a reminder for travelers to stay alert.
Samal City Mayor Lemuel Reyes quickly addressed the issue, meeting with the boy and his family on August 26. Reyes cautioned him to learn from the incident and issued an apology for the damage to the city’s image.
The City Social Welfare and Development Office announced that the teen will undergo interventions under the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act, including spiritual counseling and three months of community service. The boy has since posted a public apology on social media.
Tourism remains vital to the Philippines, contributing ₱2.35 trillion to the economy in 2024 and employing around 6.75 million people, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.
