Famous vlogger and social media personality Basel Manadil or better known as “The Hungry Syrian Wanderer” admitted that he is a naturalized Filipino citizen.
In his vlog released in conjunction with the Independence Day celebration, Manadil said that since 2019, his application to become a Filipino has been approved.
He shared in the said video that he actually applied for a Philippine passport in April 2019 while remembering what he has done in the country since 2018.
According to the vlogger, he hid his Filipino citizenship for two years in order to personally enjoy being a Filipino.
“When I had this more than two years ago, I wanted to have that moment for myself. I am considered Filipino and my blood is Filipino Plus. So, hindi tayo negative mga tao. It’s a plus,” said Manadil.
He also recounted that despite having a luxurious life in Syria, his own parents sent him to the Philippines because of the unrest in their country.
‘The Hungry Syrian Wanderer’ is a full-fledged Filipino citizen
“I came from a well-off family. I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth if that’s the term. The war started in Syria. So, my family wanted to send me here to the Philippines to study here,” said the vlogger.
Basel has lived in the Philippines for more than eight years and continues to help people in need.
“I just felt like instead of me focusing too much on traveling, going to different areas, different places, I want to help as many people as I can. I can’t help everybody but just help random people that you meet,” explained Basel.
He also answered the true meaning of his name “The Hungry Syrian Wanderer.”
“It only means that I will never get full of the Philippines. So, there’s always something new to discover about this country and this is what I’ll always be doing in the coming years,” he said.
Many Filipinos love The Hungry Syrian Wanderer because even though he is not of Filipino blood, he has helped the victims of various disasters in the country many times, such as when the Mindanao earthquake in 2019.
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