Canadian-born Kulas of BecomingFilipino shares experience as first-time voter
Photo from BecomingFilipino/Instagram
BecomingFilipino truly became a Filipino, one vote at a time.
Canadian-born Kyle Jennermann, more popularly known as BecomingFilipino or Kulas, has officially gone beyond documenting his deep love for the Philippines as he’s now part of the country’s democratic process.
The content creator, who took his oath of allegiance in 2023 to become a Filipino citizen, proudly shared his experience as a first-time voter in the Philippines in an Instagram post. And at some point in his smooth voting experience, it felt “strange” and “unusual.”
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But prior to that, voting in Taguig, Jennermann was struck by the positive and relaxed atmosphere at the polling station.
“People were chilled and friendly with one another… even though I am certain everyone has different voting preferences,” he wrote, expressing joy at the smiles and calm he witnessed despite the country’s charged political climate.
Among the things that impressed him were the clear polling station signage, visible voter verification systems and the efficient and courteous poll staff.
“My name with picture was posted on the door to the voting area…. literally no one could vote as me,” he pointed out, praising the Comelec’s advance registration system and biometric safeguards. The entire voting process, he noted, took him about 45 minutes.
However, coming from a Canadian voting background, Kulas noticed a few things that were different. The classroom setup for voting felt a bit more exposed than what he was used to.
“There isn’t a ‘hidden cubicle’ structure,” he observed, adding that concealing his lengthy ballot sheet proved tricky. He also remarked on the presence of people outside the precinct offering “sample ballots,” which he found slightly unsettling.
Still, Kyle walked away from the experience deeply impressed and grateful. “CONFIDENT IN EVERYTHING TO DO WITH MY VOTES BEING COUNTED. GREAT VIBE AND HELPFUL STAFF,” he declared.
A day after the election, Kulas offered a humorous and humble follow-up: “Bilang isang botante. Feeling ko boss ako nung isang araw. Pero ngayon… Back to reality ko. Yes boss, I will be your driver today. Asawa ko.”
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From merely exploring the country as an adventurer to becoming an active participant in its democracy, BecomingFilipino has, indeed, become Filipino – one vote at a time.
