Subic, Olongapo - Last July 13-18, 2015, a total of 18 participants from both the academe and hospitality industry practitioners, converged to attend the recently concluded National Master Trainers and National Master Assessors on Front Office Operations. The said "Train the Trainers" program was facilitated by ASEAN Master Trainer and Tourism Industry Board Chairperson and President, Ms. Anabelle Ochoa Moreno, and ASEAN Master Assessors, Mr. Felix Casin (LPU Manila Instructor/Hotel Jen), Ms. Michelle Baruc (LPU Batangas Instructor) and yours truly (hospitality consultant, resource speaker and creator of TheFilipinoHotelier hospitality blog). A convergence project promulgated by the Department of Tourism, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, and the Tourism Industry Board Foundation, Inc., the training successfully engaged the participants to learn the ASEAN toolbox, the essence of Competency Based Training and Competency Based Assessment, and its role in the bigger picture and preparation for the ASEAN Integration by the end of the year.
Participants from various regions were represented, and the following proved "Pass Competent" under the National Master Trainers: Ms. Maria Cristina Galang (Region III), Mr. Alvin Tan (Region IV-B), Ms. Jonna Kathryn Pasion (Region XI), Mr. Leomar Nepomuceno (CAR), Ms. Raquel Raymundo (NCR) and Mr. Freddie Quinito (NCR), who topped the class and named "Best Trainer".
For the National Master Assessors:
Mr. Elcer Cuenca (Region III), Ms. Maria Angeline De Claro (Region IV-A), Mr. Arthur Digman (Region IV-A), Mr. Abregale Joseph Monzon (Region IV-A), Ms. Maria Czarina Rancap (Region IV-B), Ms. Cynthia Fuentebella (Region V), Ms. Kristin Estores (Region VI), Ms. Lizette Billones (Region XI), Ms. Catherine Samson (CAR), Ms. Angelina Blanco (NCR), Ms. Bernadette Caballes (NCR) and Ms. Ma. Elizabeth Quirante (NCR), who proved to be the groups' "Best Assessor" in the said program.
At the end of the activity, Director Rica C. Bueno under the Office of Tourism Standards & Regulation, Department of Tourism, ended the program with a positive note; depicting hopeful expectations on manpower development and elevating the quality of the Philippines' tourism professionals through the help of the new National Master Trainers and National Master Assessors.
