Malacañang taps Vanessa Hudgens as global tourism ambassador

MANILA, Philippines — Hollywood star Vanessa Hudgens was named as a global tourism ambassador for the Philippines yesterday. 

In a ceremony held in Malacañang, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. conferred the title to the Filipino-American actress. 

The Palace said that Vanessa is in line with the administration’s “efforts to promote Philippine tourism and raise the country's global status."

"Hudgens is seen to take part in a range of future initiatives to promote the nation's unique culture and assist the country in reaching a wider global audience, creating awareness and conveying the Philippine brand as a tourist destination," it noted.

Vanessa is currently touring the Philippines to shoot a travel documentary about her Filipino heritage.

The still-untitled documentary will revolve around Vanessa's relationship with her mother Gina — who left the Philippines for the United States when she was 25 — her sister Stella, and Vanessa's own journey to becoming a household name.

The project will see Vanessa visiting the Philippines for the first time as shooting begins this March in Manila and Palawan. The actress herself has always been proud of her Pinoy roots.

"I feel like ours is such a relatable story to so many women all over the world," Vanessa said in a statement. "The more that we can share, the more we can lift each other up."

The documentary is somewhat a fulfillment of what Vanessa shared in a 2021 Glamour UK interview wherein she hoped Gina would write a book about immigrating to the United States so it could be turned into a film.

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