(Photo courtesy of the Department of Tourism–Eastern Visayas)
TACLOBAN CITY — The Department of Tourism (DOT) has intensified its campaign to improve the quality of tourism services in Eastern Visayas by training more than 100 tourism workers and students under its Filipino Brand of Service Excellence (FBSE) program.
The capacity-building initiative, conducted in Samar, Southern Leyte, and Leyte, aims to equip tourism frontliners and future tourism professionals with the skills and values needed to deliver world-class service rooted in genuine Filipino hospitality.
In San Jorge, Samar, 55 participants from primary and secondary tourism enterprises completed the FBSE training, the first time the municipality has hosted the program. The activity was facilitated with the support of Tourism Officer-in-Charge Liza Badocdoc and the Municipal Tourism Office.
Participants underwent sessions designed to enhance customer service, promote professionalism, and strengthen the municipality’s readiness to serve both local and foreign visitors.
The program also reached Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte, where 50 participants from tourism establishments and various municipal government offices completed the same training.
Vice Mayor Hermenegildo Culpa welcomed the participants and underscored the local government’s commitment to promoting quality tourism services and sustainable tourism development.
To help prepare the next generation of tourism professionals, the DOT likewise conducted the FBSE training for Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship students of Leyte Normal University–San Isidro Campus before they begin their internship.
The students were introduced to the FBSE’s core principles, including the “7Ms of Filipino Values,” “Mabuhay Gestures,” and the GUEST and HEART service methods through interactive discussions and practical exercises designed to strengthen customer relations and service excellence.
The San Jorge and Padre Burgos sessions were facilitated by FBSE trainer Victorino D. Mendiola III, while FBSE trainer Emily Jill Nival handled the training at Leyte Normal University–San Isidro Campus.
The FBSE is one of the DOT’s flagship training programs that seeks to develop a culture of service excellence across the Philippine tourism industry by instilling professionalism, courtesy, and authentic Filipino hospitality among tourism workers. The program forms part of the agency’s broader efforts to enhance visitor experiences and improve the country’s competitiveness as a tourism destination.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
