TACLOBAN CITY — Local government leaders and tourism officials from across Eastern Visayas have gathered here for a three-day masterclass aimed at strengthening sustainable tourism development in the region.
The training, organized by the Department of Tourism Regional Office 8 (DOT-8), is being attended by around 55 participants, including Eastern Samar Governor Ralph Vincent Evardone, 15 municipal mayors, a provincial board member, city and municipal administrators, chairs of Sangguniang Bayan tourism committees, and tourism officers from provincial, city, and municipal governments.
DOT-8 Regional Director Karina Rosa Tiopes said the program brings together policymakers and implementers to improve coordination in planning and executing tourism initiatives at the local level.
She said the masterclass encourages local governments to reassess tourism not only as an economic driver but also as a tool for community development that safeguards culture, identity, and natural resources.
“Over the next three days, the focus is on making sustainability simple, practical, and actionable,” Tiopes said. “We are looking at tourism through the lens of tao, lugar, at kabuhayan—people, place, and livelihood—because sustainable tourism only works when these three move forward together.”
The program includes workshops, stakeholder and community mapping, cultural and natural heritage stewardship sessions, and a SWOT-based “tourism pulse check.”
Participants are also tasked to begin crafting local tourism action plans aligned with their resources and priorities.
Interactive discussions, case studies featuring tourism experiences from Pampanga, and an experiential benchmarking activity will conclude the training.
Tiopes said the goal is for participants to leave with practical tools and clearer direction in leading responsible and sustainable tourism development in their respective localities.
The masterclass features resource persons Martin Aguilar and Rita Sarmiento of Filipino Hospitality Consultancy, who are sharing insights on destination management, hospitality standards, and sustainable tourism practices.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
