Kach Medina Umandap, a Filipina Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) and vlogger made history as the youngest Filipino to visit all 195 countries, accomplishing this remarkable feat with her Philippine passport.
In an exclusive interview with DZRH's Adbokasiya on Saturday, Umandap shared that traveling has been her childhood dream, and she vowed to explore the world.
"Pangarap ko po talaga [pagttravel]. Kasi noong bata po ako, lumaki po ako sa lolo at lola ko. Tapos lagi pong pinapanood ng lolo ko si Susan Calo-Medina. Tapos sabi ko sa lolo ko, proud na proud siya, 'ako naman ay mag-ttravel sa buong mundo'," Umandap explained.
"Parang nakakatawa na lang like ayun yung pangarap and then hanggang alam ko po na talagang mahilig akong magbasa at mag-aral simula noong bata pa," she added.
The 36-year-old, who holds a degree in Economics from the University of the Philippines - Los Baños, has been traveling full-time since the age of 24 while working as a travel vlogger.
Her initial plan was to attend law school and pursue a career in foreign affairs, intending to become a diplomat, consul, or ambassador.
A month after earning her degree, Umandap headed to Kuwait for work, which set her on a path of traveling that continues to this day.
"Nagsimula ako as OFW sa Kuwait noong umalis ako ng Philippines noong 2009. Noong 2013, 24 years old ako, nag-start ako mag-backpacking so like talagang 12 years lang ako nag ttravel kung saan-saan pero tumitigil ako sa isang bansa para mag-apply ng mga visa [and] magpahinga," said Umandap.
In 2023, Umandap then established her travel agency in Dubai. She shared that while she remains an OFW, she is now the proud owner of the company.
Umandap's travel agency, travelwithkach.com, takes Filipinos who dream of traveling to countries that are typically more difficult for Filipinos to access.
In addition, Umandap brings travelers to safe yet underrated destinations such as Morocco and Mongolia. These countries may not be famous in the Philippines, but they're ideal for group travel, making the experience more budget-friendly.
"Then mayroon din po akong tinayo na kumpanya noon noon pa po kasi noong nagv-vlogger po ako ‘pag may nagtatanong sakin paano makakuha ng visa, syempre libre lang magbasa sa articles pero ‘yung iba hindi talaga alam kung paano," Umandap stated.
"So, nagtayo ako ng kumpanya na tinatawag na filipinopassport.com. Kaya namin kayong kuhanan ng visa kahit saan man sa mundo pero tourist visa lang, we don’t do employment, work, other things, tourist visa lang," she added.
Umandap even shared that she has used and filled up five Philippine passports due to her extensive travels.
She further revealed that immigration personnel are always taken aback when they see her passports and are curious about why they are so fully stamped.
What are her tips for the traveling public?
Umandap also shared a useful tip for smoother immigration processing: make your social media accounts public.
With this tip, she mentioned that it helps immigration personnel conduct faster research on travelers, reducing the chances of delays during the interrogation process.
"It really helps po talaga kapag ‘yung profile mo sa social media ay nakapublic. Diba ‘yung iba naka-lock, nakatago, ayaw ipakita," said Umandap.
"To be honest kung magt-travel po kayo mas magandang i-public niyo na lang para madali silang magresearch tapos hindi na kayo magtatagal na i-interrogate," she added.
Furthermore, she agreed that immigration personnel need to be strict, as it helps protect those leaving the country.
Umandap also advised against being too budget-conscious in developing countries, as it’s often better to spend a bit more for the safety and well-being of the traveler.
"You can never be cheap in developing countries," she added.
What is her favorite country among all the ones she has visited so far?
The Filipina traveler, currently based in both Palawan and Dubai, revealed that her favorite countries to visit are Montenegro, Chile, Argentina, Switzerland, and South Africa.
"Ayun po ‘yung mga bansa na ‘ay kapareho pala natin sila'. Magkaiba lang tayo ng itsura pero ‘yung kultura, similar," she added.
For Umandap, it's important to experience a country's values, culture, and cuisine.
What's next?
Umandap shared that her next goal is to explore the Philippines, traveling to different provinces across the country.
"Ngayon, ang next goal ko naman po is to travel within the Philippines and like to travel to 82 provinces. Kasi maraming nagtatanong anong next," said Umandap.
Ultimately, she hopes that in the next 12 years, she will travel around the Philippines. If she’s not traveling abroad, she also aspires to teach children.
