Message
I greet the officers and members of the Association of Administrators in Hospitality, Hotel and Restaurant Management Educational Institutions (AAHRMEI) as well as the participants in the group's 2nd International and 23rd National Convention in Seoul, South Korea on December 1-4, 2023.
Your theme "International Collaboration towards Hospitality & Tourism Academic Engagement and Productivity" highlights the role of your institution in modeling students of tourism and hospitality courses into a world-class workforce that is at par with their counterparts abroad.
I cannot overemphasize the significance of your Seoul conference this year as the country has just launched a new international branding campaign "Love the Philippines" that needs everyone's support, especially at a time when we are boosting tourism that has been greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
For more than two decades, you have become a dependable partner of government agencies such as the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in producing competent hospitality and tourism industry workers by way of providing seminars and training. I am counting on your association to be at the forefront of the government's efforts to bolster tourism.
I take this opportunity to commend AAHRMEI's more than 5,000 members school administrators, faculty members, and hospitality industry practitioners nationwide - for your commitment to high quality education and best practices imparted to your students.
Your institution has worked hard and has lived to its objective of supporting TESDA, the DOT and other agencies to complement other organizations to pursue quality and excellence in hospitality education. I am also aware that it has extended its effort by establishing linkages abroad to gain recognition for the hospitality and tourism education in the Philippines.
Further, you have helped our Commission on Higher Education (CHED) in monitoring the implementation of the International Practicum Training Program guidelines so that this program could be sustained.
As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education, rest assured of my support. Let us work together in crafting legislation that will help improve the country's education and promote tourism.
2ND INTERNATIONAL AND THE PHILIPPINES 23RD NATIONAL CONVENTION
SEOUL
South Korea