Negros Oriental trike drivers train on ‘Filipino Brand of Service Excellence’

By Jenifer Catan-Tilos

Tricycle drivers and snorkeling/diving guides pose with the “Mabuhay” gesture during the Filipino Brand of Service Excellence (FBSE) at Macias Sports Center, Dumaguete City. (PIA Negros Oriental/Provincial Tourism Office photo)

DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental (PIA) — More than 800 tricycle drivers in the province underwent the Department of Tourism’s (DOT) Filipino Brand of Service Excellence (FBSE) training for them to help improve the tourists’ experience in Negros Oriental. 

Provincial Tourism Board executive director Woodrow Maquiling, Jr. said the drivers serve as frontliners in the tourism industry. 

“Since they are the first touch point of the tourists, it is important that they are equipped with not only the knowledge of our place but also the warmth of a Negrense as community ambassadors,” said Maquiling. 

The training, held in batches, included lectures and demonstrations on the proper way of receiving visitors, use of “Mabuhay” gesture as a common greeting, proper way of customer handling, how to recover a bad service, how to give service excellence, among others. 

The trainees were composed of 490 pedicab drivers from the local government units in the second district, 317 snorkeling/diving guides, boat crews, and Bantay Dagat officers. 

Quality service for tourists

Rolly Anadon, president of Metro Dumaguete Motorcab Operators and Drivers Association (MEDUMODA), emphasized the importance of their members learning how to handle visitors or passengers and delivering good service.

MEDUMODA is composed of 74 tricycle drivers as members. 

“Nakatabang ug dako namo labi na sa the way we handle sa mga bisita o tourists kay panerbisyo man ning atu, and personally regardless may subsistence allowance o wala mo attend ko niining mga trainings kay makatabang man namo ug sa serbisyo labi na sa proper handling of visitors,” said Anadon. 

(This helped us a lot especially in the handling of tourists, for this is really our work. Personally, regardless of whether there is subsistence allowance or not, I have to attend this kind of training to help improve my service or work in proper handling of visitors.)

Anadon said they were encouraged to greet the passengers with excellence, show politeness, and provide quality service to tourists.

For Ronaldo Calidguid, president of Alliance of Disciplined Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association (ADTODA) in Barangay Isugan, Bacong, the training helped them understand how important it is for them to be able to interact properly with guests. 

“Among pasalamat sa nag mugna sa maong bansay-bansay, kay sa among pagka driver importante ni na maong training pag-abi-abi sa mga pasahero, malipay ang bisita sa among serbisyo kon honest ka ilabi na kabahin sa tinuod na pletehan,” said Calidguid. 

(We are thankful to those who initiated the trainings. It is important for us drivers to be hospitable and the visitors will be happy with our service if we are honest, especially with the actual fare rates.)

Calidguid said the training emphasized honesty and not taking advantage of passengers for the benefit of making money from the tourists.

Subsistence allowance

The Office of 2nd District Rep. Manuel Sagarbarria and the provincial government provided the participants with subsistence allowance to compensate for their lost income while they underwent training.

Each participant received P1,000 in subsistence allowance to cover their daily needs while attending the eight-hour training.

The training was held after the Provincial Tourism Office collaborated with DOT7 to capacitate the tourism frontliners in the province with the skills they need to provide the best service they can to foreign and local tourists. 

Gov. Manuel “Chaco” Sagarbarria said tourism is critical in local economic growth. 

“Tourism, along with health, are at the forefront of my governance as this would help provide more livelihood opportunities for our constituents,” he said.

Tourism frontliners in Negros Oriental undergo training on Filipino brand of service excellence

By Jenifer Catan-Tilos

Tourism frontliners in Valencia take a group photo after their Filipino Brand of Service Excellence training. (Photo courtesy of Valencia Tourism Office)

VALENCIA, Negros Oriental (PIA) — Tour guides in Valencia town had the chance to update their skills as the Department of Tourism (DOT) conducted a six-day back-to-back training on community tour guiding and Filipino Brand of Service Excellence (FBSE).

A total of 52 tour guides underwent walking tour coaching to improve their skills as the industry’s frontliners.

DOT, in partnership with the Valencia municipal government, has provided training for tourism workers on tourism reception, tour guiding techniques, and effective communication skills.

The town of Valencia is a first class municipality located in the highlands of Negros Oriental that offers various tourist spots such as Mt. Talinis, waterfalls, and museums, among others. 

Part of the training is a mock tour of the geodiversity of Mt. Talinis, as hiking to the volcano is a popular adventure among visitors. 

“It is our goal to capacitate our tourism industry workers for them to be able to provide quality service leading to customer satisfaction and increase competitiveness of our industry that will subsequently lead to increase in tourism arrivals and receipts,” said Cynthia Monzon of DOT-7. 

DOT also introduced the FBSE program in training to sustain excellence in hospitality and enhance the quality of tourism services.

More confidence 

Maurina Buladola, secretary of the Valencia Eco Guides Association (VEGA), said the training has made her more confident as a worker in the tourism industry. 

“Daghan jud kaayo ang akong nakat-onan niining maong training. Akong na realize nga ang pagka tour guide mahimo pod diay nga profession. Mas confident na ko nga mo guide karon tungod sa bag-ong learnings na akong nakat-unan sama sa proper handling sa mga bisita. Among dakong pasalamat sa facilitators,” said Buladola. 

(I have learned a lot in these training sessions. I realized that tour guiding can be a profession. I am now confident to guide because of my new learnings, like proper handling of visitors. We are grateful to all the facilitators.)

Valencia tourism officer Des Tilos, Jr., said the training is in response to the need to capacitate the tourism frontliners with the right skills and attitude to become “effective stewards of the town’s tourism industry.” 

“The local government of Valencia shares the same vision with that of DOT to capacitate our tourism frontliners in order to level up the kind of service we extend to our visitors,” said Tilos. 

The more satisfied the tourists are, the better it will be for the local economy as more tourists will be coming into the town, he said. 

“This translates to a vibrant tourism industry that creates jobs for the locals,” added Tilos.

80 trike drivers, 22 vendors benefit from DOLE’s livelihood aid in Dumaguete City

By Jenifer Catan-Tilos

Department of Labor and Employment representative Rubie Cempron (4th from left) turns over the machine shop equipment to members of the Metro Dumaguete Motorcab Operators and Drivers’ Association (MEDUMODA) in Dumaguete City. (PIA Negros Oriental/Lupad Dumaguete photo)

DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental (PIA) — Transporting passengers was the sole source of income in the past for the 80 members of Metro Dumaguete Motorcab Operators and Driver’s Association (MEDUMODA).

However, with the livelihood assistance from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the drivers’ group now has their own machine shop and services business.

MEDUMODA president Rolando Anadon said the group received jigs, materials, and equipment worth P1 million from DOLE.

“Over 30 years of driving, kini na business dugay na namong gihandom na gihatag sa gobyerno na nakatabang kaayo namo,” said Anadon. 

(In over 30 years of driving, we have long dreamt of putting up this business, and now the government has helped us realize it.) 

He said they would no longer have to suffer from the high prices that they used to incur when availing of the services from the other machine shops.

“Dako kaayo among kalipay sa tabang, ug nagpasalamat kami sa Dole sa pagsalig kanamo niini na project,” said Anadon.

(We are very happy for this assistance and would like to thank DOLE for trusting us on this project.)

DOLE has granted the motorcab drivers and operators and some vendors in Dumaguete City a total of P1.5 million worth of livelihood assistance.

Boost in flower vending business

The 22 members of the association of vendors of plants and flowers in the city also received a boost in their business in time for the Valentine’s Day celebration in February. 

DOLE has released a check worth P500,000 to the association through its president, Nieves Sardan, as their additional capital.

The vendors have been selling different kinds of flowers, such as roses, daisies, orchids, gardenia, and tulips among others, at the Dumaguete City Public Market.

“Nalipay jud mi kaayo kay dako’g tabang kini dili lamang dugang sa puhunan usab dugang income alang sa among tagsa-tagsa ka pamilya na kinahanglanon sa eskwela, balon sa mga bata,” said Sardan. 

(We are very happy, as this would be a big help not only for our investment but also for additional income for each family and to help pay for school expenses.)

She said the government, through DOLE, has helped the flower vendors who fall under the category of small entrepreneurs.

DOLE information officer designate Raizza Rubia said the agency also provided one-year insurance coverage to the beneficiaries through the Government Service Insurance System.