The Department of Tourism (DOT) has launched an online training program for the country’s tourism stakeholders to stay relevant and learn how to cope with the difficulties arising from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and to facilitate their transition to recovery.
Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said the program, called DOT Online Training, is conducted using Zoom video-conferencing app and offers tourism industry stakeholders an option to use their time productively during the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), which has been extended until April 30.
“This was conceptualized as an alternative to the regular training programs.”
“The DOT is developing online courses for tourism stakeholders. This was conceptualized as an alternative to the regular training programs being conducted by the Office of Industry Manpower Development. This is our vision in embracing a new normal for our industry,” Romulo-Puyat said.
The tourism chief said the course covers two subject areas: Tourism Enterprise which involves monitoring, evaluating and learning from past and present situations to enable tourism stakeholders to prepare better for the future; and Filipino Brand of Service which applies the seven Filipino values or “7Ms” that characterize Filipino hospitality — May Likha, Makatao, Makakalikasan, Makabansa, Masayahin, May-Bayanihan and May-Pag-asa.
“We can turn the temporary inactivity during lockdown into an opportunity to enhance the quality of tourist services.”
“We can turn the temporary inactivity during lockdown into an opportunity to enhance the quality of tourist services. We can objectively look back at our past and current performance and utilize the breathing space to plan how we can further upgrade our services in our respective areas in the industry with the values of Filipino hospitality,” Romulo-Puyat said.
She also enjoined the tourism stakeholders to participate in the online training program, adding the DOT is set to develop additional modules on other topics.
“The DOT will continue to develop other online courses to enhance skills, assist and encourage stakeholders to cope, transition and move towards recovery,” Romulo-Puyat concluded.