Jamie Bicarme

WRITING PORTFOLIO A compilation of selected published works by Jamie Bicarme 1 DOT initiates inter-agency action for Barrier-Free Tourism 3 Boracay reopening to inspire sustainable development 5 DOT awards green hotels, resorts 8 Pas’ungko Festival highlights Subanen folklore and literature 10 DOT cites role of partnership marketing in tourism DOT initiates inter-agency action for Barrier-Free Tourism F r i d a y, J u l y 0 6 , 2 0 1 8 MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Tourism (DOT) led an inter-agency consultative meeting on Barrier-Free Tourism on Monday aimed at reinforcing and improving existing policies and programs that address the needs of the differently-abled population in the country, or the persons with disabilities (PWDs) as referred to by many - whether they be tourists or residents. The meeting, initiated by the DOT Office of Industry Manpower Development (OIMD) Director Nelly Nita Dillera, was attended by representatives from the Departments of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Trade and Industry (DTI), Health (DOH), and the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA). The academe and the private sector were also ably represented and together, provided various perspectives in evolving solutions. Director Dillera emphasized that “it is imperative for the different line agencies to band together to ensure that the needs of the PWDs are addressed”. NCDA representative Carmen Reyes-Zubiaga reiterated the importance of a “disability-inclusive development”, and encouraged both the NGAs and NGOs to invest in services for persons with disabilities (PWDs) since it not only promotes inclusivity and accessibility, it also promotes good business. Moreover, Zubiaga also highlighted NCDA’s efforts in promoting a “non-handicapping environment, and projects to eliminate physical and environmental barriers” for PWDs. The discussion covered among others, challenges in providing barrier-free services such as the lack of awareness among stakeholders, and the lack of appropriate trainings among service providers - from assistive technologyfriendly facilities, to equipped and capable personnel who can communicate with clients who are speech-impaired, or with mental health conditions. http://www.tourism.gov.ph/news_features/barrierfree.aspx 1 DOT initiates inter-agency action for Barrier-Free Tourism (CONTINUED) The body also focused on ways to create a non-handicapping environment through the implementation of national policies, adopted by the local government units (LGUs) and transformed into visible and tangible programs and services. A Communication Action Plan will be prepared to strengthen the coordination of the public and private sectors in creating and implementing projects to be able to develop and provide more efficient services for PWD tourists and citizens. ◆ http://www.tourism.gov.ph/news_features/barrierfree.aspx 2 Boracay reopening to inspire sustainable development We d n e s d a y, A u g u s t 2 9 , 2 0 1 8 A better and more sustainable Boracay is set to welcome back visitors on October 26 and is expected to usher in newer and bigger markets awaiting the island’s full recovery. Undersecretary for Tourism Development Benito Bengzon Jr. reiterated that the Department of Tourism (DOT) is well on track with its 7.4 million target as the island’s closure also became an opportunity to introduce and boost travelers’ awareness of other tourism destinations in the country, which was key to retaining the country’s positive month-on-month performance on tourism arrivals. “The fact that we have kept ourselves afloat is a very strong reflection of how resilient the industry is, how quick we are to make adjustments with our marketing and promotions and I think, also a very strong communication of how prepared the other destinations are in welcoming the influx of tourists who otherwise would have gone to Boracay.” Undersecretary Bengzon said. The DOT executive earlier stated that despite the closure of one of the country’s flagship destinations, brand equity remains strong as this has been continuously built upon for decades and has ensured stability such that demands from the global market also remains significantly high even with sudden setbacks. A worldwide advertising campaign is set to be launched by the DOT in the following months, to be accompanied by strengthened promotions for various PH destinations, including the much-awaited re-opening of the famous island. This campaign is projected to entice more travelers to visit more destinations in addition to Boracay, as trainings and workshops for better sustainability practices are now being disseminated to industry players all over the country, guaranteed to provide better services to future clients. http://www.tourism.gov.ph/news_features/boracay_reopening.aspx 3 Boracay reopening to inspire sustainable development (CONTINUED) “When you look at it overall, we really have to make sure that when we roll it out, when we relaunch Boracay, it would be a better destination, more environment-friendly, and it will be more secure and we have to make sure that, more important than anything else, we avoid the problems that led to its closure in the first place.” The DOT’s thrust for sustainability is also accompanied with infrastructure developments aimed at the same goal. Among these developments are the new Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) and an evident buildup in the accommodation sector expected to expand the destinations’ capacity in welcoming visitors from all over the world. Undersecretary Bengzon assures travelers of better visitor experiences with the DOT’s projects already laid out for the coming months. “For our part, we will make sure that the accommodation establishments comply with the DENR/DILG requirements before they qualify for DOT accreditation. Manpower training programs will be extended to the accredited establishments so that the frontline services are much improved prior to the closing. And lastly, we will have to work on very intensive marketing promotions. So in our travel fairs, in our sales missions, Boracay will be showcased as a better destination for our markets.” In 2017, foreign tourist arrivals reached 6,620,908 in total and in the first half 2018, 3.706 million international arrivals was recorded, promising a positive run towards the 7.4 million goal by the end of the year. With the reopening of Boaracay, the country is looking forward to bringing in new markets as well as sustaining the growth of its key markets: South Korea, China and the United States. ◆ http://www.tourism.gov.ph/news_features/boracay_reopening.aspx 4 DOT awards green hotels, resorts We d n e s d a y, S e p t e m b e r 1 2 , 2 0 1 8 MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Tourism (DOT), in close collaboration with Austria-based research and development organization, Center for Appropriate Technology, identified twenty-seven (27) hotels and resorts as awardees for this year’s ANAHAW Philippine Sustainable Tourism Certification. ANAHAW - the Philippine Sustainable Tourism Certification is developed by the Department of Tourism and GRaT Center for Appropriate Technology through the Zero Carbon Resorts (ZCR) Project funded by the European Union under the Switch Asia Program. ZCR aims to reduce the carbon emission of hotels & resorts following the 3R principles - Reduce, Replace and Redesign. This project was started by the DOT’s Office of Tourism Standards and Regulation in 2011 with a series of trainings and seminars on green technologies and focus group discussions with industry stakeholders. Tourism Chief Bernadette Romulo-Puyat recently challenged industry stakeholders to practice sustainable tourism and demanded for long-term adherence to responsible production and consumption of resources. “In the DOT, we see the need to inspire, collaborate, educate and habitualize our efforts on this advocacy, no matter how daunting. By inspiring, we engage consumers to embrace the role as responsible tourists. By collaborating, we enjoin experts, partners and volunteers to advance our advocacy. By educating, we help people become informed about our sustainable tourism and by habitualizing, we create doable ways for consumers to get into the habit of practicing sustainable tourism,” said DOT Undersecretary for Tourism Regulation, Coordination and Resource Generation Arturo Boncato, Jr. as he represented Puyat in the opening ceremonies. Undersecretary Boncato likewise stressed the importance of focusing on the best interests of the environment, tourists, industry stakeholders, and host http://www.tourism.gov.ph/news_features/green_hotels.aspx 5 DOT awards green hotels, resorts (CONTINUED) communities, and also the possible environmental, social, and economic impacts, in generating projects directed towards genuine sustainable tourism, which involves collective efforts. Meanwhile, Enrico Strampelli, head of the Development Cooperation Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines emphasized the role of the ANAHAW in improving overall efficiency of tourism establishments such that not only does the certification ignite profit increase, it also directs the Philippine tourism industry into a more sustainable future. Hotels and resorts are equipped with best practices and techniques for sustainable development and ecotourism that will largely contribute to the country’s green economy and will lead to a highly competitive, environmentally sound and socially responsible Philippines - as is the mandate of the DOT for the National Tourism Development Plan-. Advocating “Innovation, Environment, and Value”, the ANAHAW Certification also equips accommodation establishments with the capacity to boost their brand image, gain competitive advantage, and reduce operational costs and boost revenues Official accreditation from the DOT is mandatory before hotels and resorts could apply for the ANAHAW certification, which is categorized into five levels: Level 1 corresponds to 50 to 59% satisfaction of the applicable criteria and indicators, with savings reaching up to 29%; Level 2 scores between 60-69%, with savings up to 35%; and Level 3 scores between 70-79%, with savings up to 40%. Meanwhile, Levels 4 and 5 score between 80-89% and 90-100%, respectively, with savings reaching up to 46-56%. http://www.tourism.gov.ph/news_features/green_hotels.aspx 6 DOT awards green hotels, resorts (CONTINUED) The certification’s percentage breakdown considers environmental policy administration and management, electricity and energy services, building infrastructure and surrounding, water, waste, wastewater treatment and management, chemicals and detergent, fuel, environmental protection and cultural preservation. Technical assessments on the ANAHAW applicants and awardees were done by ANAHAW experts, namely: Engr. Anna Liza Lao (Cavite), Engr. Ma. Theresa Banta (Metro Manila), Engr. Von Saulo Infante (Metro Manila), Engr. Emelita Catalo-Guerzon (Davao), Engr. May Alelin Gerona Pagal (Metro Manila). Other ANAHAW experts recognized for their significant contribution to the technical assessments include Engr. Diosa Marie Aguila (Batangas), Marissa Victoria Claustro (DOT), Engr. Conrado Ostia, Jr. (Metro Manila), Engr. Moses Mabute, Jr. (Metro Manila) and Arch. Ma. Oliva Alvero. The list of ANAHAW awardees, as well as photos of the event can be found at the DOT Facebook page: https://www.facebook. com/DepartmentOfTourism/ ◆ http://www.tourism.gov.ph/news_features/green_hotels.aspx 7 Pas’ungko Festival highlights Subanen folklore and literature We d n e s d a y, N o v e m b e r 2 1 , 2 0 1 8 Subanen cultural heritage is alive and thriving in Misamis Occidental as was shown in the recently held 9th Pas’ungko S’g Mis Occ Festival, a highlight of the province’s 89th anniversary celebration, and a thanksgiving celebration for the abundance of blessings among the Subanen tribe. Representing Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Assistant Secretary Myra V. Abubakar expressed her thanks to the festival organizers for giving importance to culture, especially that of the Subanen. “Festivities like this make us Filipinos distinct from other countries and we should always be proud of who we are.” Assistant Secretary Abubakar said. The festival’s highlight is the annual street dance competition, which was joined by hundreds of students from various schools in the province, including the out-of school youth. According to DOT Region 10 Director May Unchuan, the event was attended by at least 7,000, reaching the maximum capacity of the Misamis Occidental Provincial Athletic Complex (MOPAC) Grandstand. The Pas’ungko street dance competition promotes cultural sensitivity through its carefully crafted presentations which were reported to be studied exhaustively before being rendered into artful performances. Each of the 11 competing contingents showed accurate representation of the Subanen tribe, from their traditional attires that tell of the tribe’s rich history and culture, to their symbolic rituals and vibrant folk literature. Echoing the advocacy of Secretary Puyat, Assistant Secretary Abubakar underscored the importance of preserving the identity and culture of indigenous tribes, and organizing events for the public so that they may witness and be reminded of their ancestors’ legacy. http://www.tourism.gov.ph/news_features/festival_highlights.aspx 8 Pas’ungko Festival highlights Subanen folklore and literature (CONTINUED) “This is what our Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat is pushing for, advancing her long time advocacy for sustainable living. It is the same driving principle that she has brought in the tourism bowl, expanding it further to promote sustainable tourism. Today’s celebration is not only an invitation for now, we should work harder so that our future generation may enjoy what we have this moment. Let this be our gift to them in the future.” ◆ http://www.tourism.gov.ph/news_features/festival_highlights.aspx 9 DOT cites role of partnership marketing in tourism M o n d a y, S e p t e m b e r 2 4 , 2 0 1 8 The recent 5th Philippine Tourism Forum Tourism Officers - Tour Operators (TO-TO) Summit underscored the vital role of partnership marketing between tourism officers and tour operators in addressing the changing market environment which challenges the creativity, innovation and resiliency of the tourism industry. Over 300 representatives from all of the country’s regions attended the summit hosted by the Department of Tourism at the SMX Convention Center, with the theme “Tourism Beyond Limits: Defining Possibilities, Defying Gravity”. The event rallied the pillars of the tourism industry to join forces in partnership marketing by engaging in more proactive collaborations to create more tourism products, enhance the attractiveness of destinations, and widen the scope of tourism services in the country. The summit gathered tourism officers and tour operators alike to work on upgrading the offered products of each region through an interactive session in which they tackled new possibilities for tour packages and identified new and upcoming destinations to entice potential visitors and investors. Among the highlights of the event was “catering to a niche market of digitalsavvy millennials and generation-z through airtight branding and continuous product updates.” This requires an established synergy between tourism officers and tour operators, such that the former will be providing the needed information and recommendations for destinations, and the latter will be working on product development, skills upgrade for personnel, and revenue generation In addition, utilizing tourism data was also tackled, which elaborates on measuring not only tourist arrivals, departures, and spending, but also the https://www.facebook.com/notes/department-of-tourism-philippines/ dot-cites-role-of-partnership-marketing-in-tourism/-/ 10 DOT cites role of partnership marketing in tourism (CONTINUED) number of jobs created, and the number of businesses uplifted - and using this information to follow through with long-term goals and serve as guide in policy-making following the provisions of the National Tourism Development Plan for-. ◆ https://www.facebook.com/notes/department-of-tourism-philippines/ dot-cites-role-of-partnership-marketing-in-tourism/-/ 11