As the summer season begins, Kapamilya actress Janine Gutierrez encourages travelers to include a visit to a destination that mixes adventure with eco-awareness. In an exclusive interview with PUSH ABS-CBN, Janine recommended a visit to Donsol, Sorsogon, a spot famous for its “butanding” or whale shark interaction.
“So usually pag-summer, I think March, ayan ‘yung season ng butanding sa Donsol in Sorsogon,” Janine shared.
According to the actress, the activity is a responsible tourism experience, which is also supported by World Wide Fund for Nature Philippines (WWF Philippines). “So it's a community din supported by WWF. So yung pagbisita niyo doon, parang syang eco-tourism. They make sure na sapat lang ‘yung mga taong pupunta doon, and then they just follow the natural patterns of the butanding and ikaw ‘yung makakatiyempo lang kung meron or kung wala.”
Beyond the thrill of the encounter, Janine emphasized the importance of respecting both the animals and the local community. “Please go to Donsol in Sorsogon and see the whale sharks and the community there and take care of them (as well).”
As a national youth ambassador of WWF Philippines, Janine has been actively supporting conservation work. The organization, together with Agoda, has been supporting initiatives in Donsol that aim to enhance research activities, as well as empower Butanding Interaction Officers and boat operators to support sustainable tourism.
As per the website of WWF, the goal of the project is to support research activities through photo identification, ecosystem monitoring, as well as public awareness, which aims to support sustainable travel to help conserve the area’s marine life, as well as the people who rely on the area.
Aside from local travel, Janine also looked back on one of her most memorable international adventures to Ngorongoro Conservation Area in Tanzania with her boyfriend, actor Jericho Rosales.
“Sobrang fantasy siya. I guess it's one of those trips na parang in my head, nasa bucket list ko siya. Pero hindi ko din alam kung magagawa ko ba ever sa buhay ko. Pero thanks to Echo na talagang pinush niya na we should go there,” she said.
She added that the experience felt surreal seeing wildlife up close.“Sobrang amazing, especially seeing all the animals up close. And of course, the lion, the giraffe, all the big animals. Talagang nakakamangha.”
READ: LOOK: Janine Gutierrez and Jericho Rosales enjoy watching wildlife in Tanzania
Among her favorite discoveries from the wild was a tiny animal that instantly caught her attention. “There's one animal na na-discover ko. It's called a Dik-dik. It's the smallest parang deer or antelope, so liit nya, super cute, para siyang something out of Harry Potter,” she described. “Super cute, tapos they travel in pairs, and they mate for life. So every time, dalawa sila makikita, ang liit lang, super cute.”