Julia tinarayan ng netizen sa Camiguin

Ni Archie Liao

BUONG tapang at walang inuurungang tinarayan ng isang netizen na may pangalang Nikka Kho si Julia Barretto sa kanyang Facebook account.

Nagbigay din siya ng open letter sa LGU ng Camiguin at sa aktres kaugnay ng pagpapasara umano ng tourist spots sa nasabing bayan para lamang sa photoshoot ni Julia.

Nagpahayag din siya ng pagkadismaya kaugnay ng pagkakaantala ng kanilang plano sa pagbabakasyon.

Aniya, hindi raw katanggap-tanggap na binibigyan ng preferential treatment ang aktres dahil celebrity ito.

Dagdag pa niya, kung pansamantala raw na isasara ang mga tourist spots sa nabanggit na munisipalidad ay dapat may abiso ito nang advance para hindi nasayang ang kanilang araw.

Ito ang teksto ng kanyang hinaing.

“To the LGU Catarman, Camiguin, CAMIGUIN TOURISM OFFICE and Julia Barretto,

Last weekend, we traveled to Camiguin for a short but well-planned trip, excited to explore its beautiful tourist spots. Our itinerary included White Island, Mantigue Island, and Katibawasan Falls. However, our plans were disrupted when we were suddenly informed that Mantigue Island was closed for a celebrity shoot—without any prior public announcement.

We were told the island would reopen at 12 PM, so we rushed to make it in time. Upon arrival, we found frustrated tourists waiting, including those who had flights to catch. Despite assurances, the shoot extended past 1 PM, forcing many to cancel or reschedule their plans.

To the LGU of Camiguin, prioritizing a single celebrity over numerous paying tourists is unacceptable. If closures are necessary, proper advance notice should be given—at least a week prior—to prevent unnecessary inconvenience.

To Julia Barretto and your team, while we respect your work, shutting down an entire public island for hours with no regard for others is selfish and entitled. If efficiency mattered, you could have started earlier instead of occupying Mantigue Island at peak hours. Instead of gaining admiration, you turned potential fans into critics.

Tourists visit Camiguin to appreciate its beauty, not to be sidelined for a celebrity’s inconvenience. We hope this serves as a wake-up call for better policies and consideration in the future. ”

Recently, naglabas ang Camiguin Tourism Office ng kanilang statement in defense of Julia.
Ito ang teksto ng kanilang pahayag.

“The Provincial Government of Camiguin, through its Tourism Office, invited Ms. Julia Barretto to visit the province and create content as part of our ongoing tourism promotion efforts. To clarify, her visit was not for a personal vacation but as part of a tourism collaboration.

“To ensure proper content production, the Provincial Government gave Ms. Barretto and her team dedicated time and unrestricted access to select tourism sites. Thus, these sites were temporarily closed to the public, a decision that was publicly announced in advance via the Provincial Tourism Office’s Facebook page on February 28, 2025.

“We sincerely apologize to any visitors who may not have received the prior announcement and regret any inconvenience this may have caused. We appreciate your understanding as we continue to promote Camiguin as a premier travel destination.”