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.

Negros Oriental State University partner with biz industry group to bridge skills gap

By Roi Lomotan

NOHRRA president Royani Dy (2nd from left) and NORSU vIce president for administration and finance Dr. Noel Marjon Yasi (3rd from right) show the MOA they signed, which allows the deployment of NORSU interns to NOHRRA member-establishments.(RAL/PIA7 Negros Oriental)

DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental (PIA) — Students taking up hospitality management courses at the Negros Oriental State University (NORSU) can now look forward to an internship program with any of the 65 establishments under the Negros Oriental Hotel, Resort, and Restaurant Association (NOHRRA) Inc.

This after the state university partnered with NOHRRA to push for the advancement of the hospitality industry in the province. 

NORSU vice president for administration and finance, Dr. Noel Marjon Yasi, said this partnership will help bridge the knowledge and skills gap between the industry and the future workforce.

“This is a welcome partnership. Right now we are trying to build up and connect the link. What is the need of the industry and what competencies do they still need and we can do trainings,” said Yasi.

He said the collaboration between NORSU and NOHRRA will bring with it many advantages to both the students and the industry. 

“Partnering with NOHRRA has several advantages. Number one is the experiential learning opportunities. Even with our efforts to simulate what you have in your restaurants, in your hotels, there’s nothing that can replace actual experience,” he added.

He is also hopeful that this partnership will lead to job opportunities for their future graduates in local hotels, resorts, and restaurants. 

Meanwhile, NOHRRA president Royani Dy is optimistic that the partnership will help address the need for skilled personnel by the local hotel, resort, and restaurant owners. 

NORSU currently deploys around 300 interns for restaurants and 200 for hotels.

Students of NORSU hotel and restaurant management services will have a secured OJT deployment in any of the 65 member-establishments of the Negros Oriental Hotel, Resort, and Restaurant Associaton (NOHRRA) Inc. after NORSU and NOHRRA signed a memorandum of agreement for the internship program. (RAL/PIA7-Negros Oriental)

“We really need those numbers. Some hotels accept as much as 40 on-the-job trainees, while we have restaurants that accept around 80. So, it’s a win-win situation for us,” said Dy.

This collaboration will also grant member establishments of NOHRRA access to trainings in related fields or industries such as culinary arts, barista training, and restaurant and hotel servicing, among others, which will be facilitated by NORSU.

“It helps our members a lot in terms of training, which we are very thankful for, because the training for our members will be free,” Dy said.

The NOHRRA president believes this partnership will contribute to leveling the standards in the local hospitality industry and hospitality education in the province.

The agreement to deploy NORSU interns to NOHRRA member-establishments will start this year. 

Each student will have to render a maximum of 600 hours of internship in the establishment where they are accepted.

This agreement covers students from all campuses of NORSU in Dumaguete City, Bais City, Bayawan-Sta. Catalina, Pamplona, Siaton, Mabinay, and Guihulngan City. 

DSWD turns over community projects to 8 Negros Oriental barangays

By Jenifer Catan-Tilos

DSWD Assistant Secretary for Inclusive-Sustainable Peace and Special Concerns Arnel Garcia (2nd from left) and Assistant Secretary for Specialized Programs under Operations Group Florentino Loyola Jr. (3rd from right) during the ceremonial ribbon-cutting and unveiling of sub-project markers for the city-wide turnover of the KALAHI-CIDSS community sub-projects in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental. (PIA Negros Oriental/Photos courtesy of DSWD7)

DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental (PIA) — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Region7 has turned over community-based projects worth over P5 million to eight barangays in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental.

This project is part of its Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) – Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) program, which seeks to help conflict-affected areas improve local governance, reduce poverty, and empower communities by strengthening their capacities.

DSWD provided P5,095,600 million from the KALAHI-CIDSS, while P295,600 was from the Guihulngan City government. 

The projects of the barangays funded under the Cycle 1 implementation of PAMANA include roads for Barangays Binobohan, Humayhumay, Imelda, Planas, Sandayao, and Trinidad and the installation of streetlights and inter-cultural amenities for Barangays Hinakpan and Tacpao. 

The ceremonial ribbon cutting, unveiling of project markers, and blessing for the city-wide turnover of the sub-projects were held in Barangay Binobohan, while the program and overall turnover of sub-projects were held at the Guihulngan City Complex.

DSWD assistant secretary for Inclusive-Sustainable Peace and Special Concerns, Arnel Garcia, said they came to see for themselves the difference that KALAHI-CIDSS PAMANA sub-projects can do in Guihulngan City, which is the only local government unit in Central Visayas under the said modality.

Community development

Binobohan barangay treasurer Meraquel Librea expressed her gratitude over the program, saying that it is unique since there is gender equality involved and it also allows women to work as laborers.

“Dako kaayo mi og pasalamat sa KALAHI-CIDSS PAMANA program nga gitabangan ang among barangay kay ang tabang usa na sa makapausob sa sistema sa amoang komunidad,” said Librea. 

(We are very grateful to the KALAHI-CIDSS PAMANA program that helped our barangay because it is one of the things that can change the system in our community.)

Jeraldin Pisalbon, chairperson of the Barangay Development Council-Technical Working Group (BDC-TWG) in Barangay Humayhumay, said the KALAHI-CIDSS made a good impact in their community since the program is not just focusing on labor or projects but also on the development of the community.

Pisalbon stressed that through the KALAHI-CIDSS, their self-confidence has improved as a result of the series of trainings and seminars they attended prior to the implementation of the sub-projects.

“Nagpasalamat pod ko og dako sa KALAHI-CIDSS PAMANA kay na-improve ang among mga nagkalain-laing attitude sa community. And then ang sub-project nga naa sa amoang barangay, nakatabang gyud og dako sa among barangay kay nahimong easy among access,” she said, adding that vendors can now sell fresh catch of fish using vehicles within their community.

(I am also very thankful to KALAHI-CIDSS PAMANA because it improved our various attitudes in the community. And then the sub-project in our barangay, which is road, really helped a lot because our access became easy.)

Tacpao barangay captain Melinda Abraham also thanked the DSWD for bringing KALAHI-CIDSS into their barangay.

“Daghan kaayo among nakat-onan sa mga pamaagi pag implementar niining proyekto,” said Abraham. 

 (We have learned a lot about how to implement projects.)

She also expressed her hope that their barangay could soon follow the process of KALAHI-CIDSS, which she described as fast and easy.

Peace and development

PAMANA is the national government’s peace and development program mainly implemented in conflict-affected or conflict vulnerable areas.

The assistant secretary shared that they are looking for a formula in terms of peace and development, and he stressed that community volunteers and city officials may be the key to it.

Garcia noted that Guihulngan City is categorized as Level III, or Center of Excellence in terms of delivery of social services and development, which is why he suggested to the city government to document their best practices in peace programs as this may be considered as a benchmark.

In his message of support, Guihulngan Mayor Filomeno Reyes acknowledged that the city has a lot of poor people who need services.

Reyes urged the residents, particularly the barangay leaders, to continue their cooperation with the government for a brighter future.

DSWD assistant secretary for specialized programs under Operations Group, Florentino Loyola Jr., said that through the KALAHI-CIDSS program, they have witnessed firsthand the power of participatory development, where communities are not just recipients but also active drivers of change.

“Let us continue harnessing the spirit of community development to address the challenges that lie ahead and to unlock the full potential of our beloved city. So let us remember that the true measure of our success lies not in the number of projects completed but in the lives we have touched and the communities that we have afflicted,” he said.