Interview with Joncy Sumulong – Co-Founder & Managing Partner

Tell us about Flotsam and Jetsam Hostel, especially where your name came from!

Flotsam are pieces of ship debris floating in the sea and jetsam is the stuff thrown (jettisoned) overboard into the water. It’s a nice metaphor for all the people who stay with us. We are random life stories floating and coming together in one place, a flotsam and jetsam of personal stories and tales.
From an aesthetic standpoint, our colourful hostel looks like flotsam coming together to form the social beachfront hostel that we are.

Anecdotally, Flotsam and Jetsam were the two eels in the Disney film, “The Little Mermaid.” And being a rock music fan myself, Flotsam and Jetsam was the name of the original band of Jason Newsted, before he became the bassist for Metallica. We love to share all the different meanings that flotsam and jetsam have to us and is always a great way to kick off a good conversation with the people who stay with us.

What makes Flotsam and Jetsam different?

Our design. Our experience. Our music festivals. 

The music videos that we make of our performing musicians. We even made a cheesy cute little rom-com, called Flotsam. It starred one of our country’s most famous actresses. A bit like Love Actually, but with surfers. Hahaha. We wrote the music too, which the actors performed live.

FLOTSAM Sneak Peek Trailer: What is FLOTSAM? (Starring Solenn + Rocco). 

What was your motivation to join WYSE Travel Confederation?

I think WYSE is best positioned to be a point-of-contact to meet other hostel brands we like (Kex is a favourite, and a bit like us. With a strong drive for indie music. Freehand and Generator are top of mind. Selina was a great surprise and also Fabrika.  And moving forward, we see consolidation in the industry and hope it can be a place to meet investors and investment funds looking to invest in our boutique hostel/hospitality sector. It’s a dotcom era for hospitality, especially the hostel business. So great opportunities for us to be acquired or gain equity and great valuations hopefully.

Here are some of the music performance videos we’ve filmed in the hostel:

Daisha Jimenez gorgeously sings Come Together: FLOTSAM SESSIONS 

Glaiza De Castro flotsam freejams Here’s Where The Story Ends – The Sundays 

Anton Saldana grooves Sexual Healing by Marvin Gaye. The Soul Funk Sexiest Voice in the Philippines.