Workers in Lapu City undergo preparation as they attend training sessions in anticipation of the 2026 ASEAN events.
Enhancing Filipino Hospitality for the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2026
The Filipino Brand of Service Excellence (FBSE) training is set to equip tourism workers in Lapu-Lapu City with the skills to deliver world-class, heartfelt Filipino hospitality, in preparation for the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2026.
The training, a flagship program of the Department of Tourism, focuses on building service excellence rooted in uniquely Filipino values such as warmth, compassion, and sincere commitment to customer service. This will help boost the competitiveness and readiness of tourism workers to serve both local and international visitors effectively.
The significance of the FBSE training lies in several key areas:
- Developing a customer service mindset: Through interactive and scenario-based learning, the training aims to ensure empathy, attentiveness, and sincerity in guest interactions.
- Contributing to a world-class tourism workforce: The Department of Tourism has emphasized the importance of positioning the Philippines as a top tourism destination in Asia, and the FBSE training is a crucial step towards achieving this goal.
- Supporting sustainable and culturally authentic tourism: By empowering service workers with skills aligned to Filipino identity and values, the training elevates both individual capability and the overall visitor experience, promoting sustainable and culturally authentic tourism.
- Preparing Lapu-Lapu City tourism workers specifically for the ATF 2026: The training ensures they can represent Filipino hospitality excellently on an international stage, during this major regional event.
The ATF 2026 is expected to draw hundreds of delegates and boost Cebu's standing as a leading destination in Southeast Asia. Garry Lao, the Tourism head of Lapu-Lapu City, announced the initiative during the Kapihan sa Cebu forum on Aug. 13, 2025. Confirmations for the FBSE training have been received from 62 tourism frontliners, mostly payong boys and street canvassers.
Melanie Ng, area vice president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Visayas, emphasized that Cebu's hosting of ATF offers an opportunity to showcase its destinations and the warmth of its people. Lapu-Lapu City, which boasts world-class resorts, dive sites, and heritage attractions, is preparing for the ATF 2026, which will be held on Mactan Island.
The FBSE training, with its focus on instilling pride of place, fostering community involvement in tourism development, and promoting professionalism across all levels of the tourism workforce, is a crucial step in ensuring that Lapu-Lapu City’s tourism workforce is professionally equipped and culturally grounded to deliver exceptional service, enhancing the city’s and the Philippines’ reputation during the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2026. The one-day seminar for the FBSE training is set for Aug. 20, 2025.
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