DOT-8 trains village officials, tourist police for FBSE rollout
TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Tourism-8 (Eastern Visayas) is training barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan chairpersons, chief tanods, and tourist police for the rollout of the 2024 Filipino Brand of Excellence (FBSE).
"In Eastern Visayas, we are engaging with barangay officials because we believe that service excellence and being tourist-friendly should not just be an industry practice but rather a culture of the community," DOT-8 Regional Director Karen Tiopes said.

TIOPES (DOT-8 FB)
Tiopes added that they aim to train 7,500 individuals based on the 20 percent increase in the regional target out of the 100,000 national target.
DOT-8 started the roll-out on February 19 with 117 representatives of primary and secondary tourism enterprises in Tacloban City and 155 barangay and SK chairpersons, other barangay officials, and law enforcers.
"We have a long way to go to reach our target of 7,500 FBSE trainees but we are off with a good start," Tiopes said, citing that the region-wide training will focus in cities, capital towns, tourism service centers, and areas where tourists frequently visit.
She added that Meeting Incentive Travel, Conventions, and Exhibitions (MICE) corridors, cruise destinations, and places hosting significant events will also be prioritized.
Some of the concepts that will be taught during the training are the Mabuhay gesture as a way of greeting guests and clients and the 7 Ms or the core values that Filipinos are widely known for – malikhain (creative), makatao (humane), makakalikasan (nature lover), makabansa (nationalistic), masayahin (happy), may bayanihan (helping each other), and may pag-asa (full of hope).
Participants are tasked to perform scenario-based role-playing to get a clear understanding of how the 7Ms are applied in the workplace.