The Department of Tourism (DOT) is beefing up the provision of capacity building activities for tourism workers in Central Luzon.
The agency is conducting the Filipino Brand of Service Excellence (FBSE) education and training for frontline tourism workers.
According to DOT Regional Director Richard Daenos, the FBSE is a nationwide campaign which aims to highlight Filipino hospitality as one of the greatest strengths of Philippine tourism that could enhance the overall tourist experience and strategically position the country as a center for hospitality excellence in Asia.
“We highlight what is the Filipino way. This is a project to showcase how warm the Filipinos are in welcoming tourists… We showcase what the Philippines has, and how we show this beauty through services and the way we welcome them,” he explained.
About 5,783 tourism workers in the region completed the FBSE training, as of May 19.
The program targets to train 100,000 professionals and members of Community-based Sustainable Tourism Organizations, teachers and students of tourism and hospitality programs, government personnel from national and local government units, and tourist-oriented police.
It also engages those who are working in tourism-related enterprises and services such as restaurants, retail, ticketing, transportation and pasalubong centers.
In addition, DOT has partnered with the Department of Trade and Industry for the development of local products to be offered to the tourists.
“We are providing training to women and mothers for additional sources of livelihood,” Daenos said.
The agency is also working with the Philippine National Police for the Tourist-Oriented Police for Community Order and Protection program to ensure the safety and security of international and domestic visitors in the country’s tourist destinations.
Meanwhile, for livelihood opportunities, DOT has an ongoing partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment for the Trabaho, Turismo, Asenso! program which aims to further assist local job seekers and make job searching a more seamless experience.
The job fair was already conducted simultaneously in Pampanga and Subic.
“We have seen a big employment turnout on private companies who offered jobs to our kababayans during these job fairs,” Daenos said.
The agency pledged to conduct a leg of the job fair in the rest of the provinces in the region to extend employment opportunities to the tourism workforce across different industry sectors. (PIA 3)
