Mabuhay Guides Foundation Course graduates 21

The Mabuhay Guides Foundation Course, the brainchild of Tourism Secretary Joseph Durano, graduated 21 tour guides from its program last March 30 2009 at the Almacenes Reales, Fort Santiago. The 21 tour guides were all that remained of the more-than-100 applicants of the Mabuhay Guides Foundation Course. The applicants had to undergo a practical exam and a panel interview before being deemed qualified for the course. The panelists were Eduardo Jarque Jr, Undersecretary for Tourism Planning and Promotiions; Victoria Jasmin, Director for the Office of Tourism Standards; and Director Benito Bengzon, head of DOT's Team Japan.

All expenses were shouldered by the Department of Tourism as part of its efforts to improve the quality of tourist guiding in the Philippines. The training lasted six weeks and brought together as lecturers some of the best minds in the Philippines — National Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario lectured on Philippine literature, Eric Torres on art, Flor Hornedo on Philippine history, and Felipe de Leon on Philippine cultural identity.

Practical training was given by London Blue Badge Trainers Mrs. Nicky Evans and Dr. Roger Rajah. At the end of the course, they were examined by a panel led by the chief examiner Mrs. Elizabeth Keatinge of the Institute of Tourist Guiding in London.

"Becoming a Mabuhay Guide forced me to see the Philippines through a foreigner's eyes. Sometimes, you need to take a step back, to give a novel perpective to something so familiar to truly find reason to fall in love with it."

-Sandra Balbastro

"I have learned so much from the training and from touring guests and visiting other places in the country that I just want to grab every chance I can to share what I know so others can appreciate the Philippines for what it truly is."

-Yael Fernandez