Phl needs to produce quality tourism pros

CEBU, Philippines - Tourism prime mover Robert Lim Joseph said the Philippines needs to improve its capacity to produce tourism professionals to stress its leadership in tourism in the ASEAN region.

"There is a need to review and revamp the technical working group in CHED [Commission on Higher Education]. You see, we are only producing college degree holders to housekeepers, waiters/waitresses, cashiers," said Network of Independent Travel Agencies president Joseph.

He said the tourism schools, or the current curriculum of the tourism related courses is no longer applicable to the fast evolving industry of tourism and that the free-flow of professionals in the ASEAN integration would also threaten the offering good employment opportunities to Filipinos here.

Joseph suggested that CHED should come up with a standard curriculum for all tourism related courses like the Hotel, Restaurant Management B.S. Tourism, among others to involve the private stakeholders to teach students, rather than depending mainly on the theories taught by non-tourism-practicing teachers.

"Most teachers in tourism and hospitality courses have not been employed by tourism entities. They're living in the world of theories," said Joseph.

If the Philippines were to lead in the tourism sector in the region, he said there is an urgent need to improve its educational support system. "There is truly a big mismatch here."

He said the Philippines is sending tourism professionals to be bartenders, kitchen helpers, food attendants abroad. Some graduates here end up in the call centers because of lack of capabilities to take good opportunities in the industry considered as becoming the "star" of the. Philippine economy.

Joseph who is also the founder of the League of Tourism Students in the Philippines and the Tourism Association of Educators and Movers (TEAM Phils), said that no matter how the private sector push to heighten the standard of the capabilities among the next generation professionals, the involvement of the schools and most importantly the CHED is crucial.

Likewise, National Association of Independent Travel Agencies (NAITAs-Cebu) past president Jenny Franco echoed Joseph's views saying tourism is a multi-disciplinary degree and holistic capability should be taken into consideration.

Moreover, Franco said involvement of the stakeholders to become lecturers in tourism related studies or courses is vital because tourism is a fast-changing industry what seemed to be applicable in the past (written in textbooks) no longer works today.

If the Philippines will be able to act on the improvement of curriculum and standard on the entire tourism related programs offered by universities and colleges here, there is no need for a mutual agreement among ASEAN member countries for tourism education standardization. (FREEMAN)