Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco received the 2025 Mabuhay Gold Award from the Association of Human Resources Managers in the Hospitality Industry (AHRM) on Nov. 14 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.
The award is the highest distinction given to a Filipino leader who has substantially contributed to the growth and strengthening of the country’s hospitality sector.
The annual Mabuhay Awards, often called the Philippine hospitality industry’s “Oscars,” recognizes hospitality professionals in categories including Rank and File (Heart of the House), Rank and File (Front of the House), Supervisor Winner, HR Leader of the Year and the Mabuhay Gold Awardee, acknowledging those who promote the ‘Mabuhay Spirit’ in competitive international tourism.
Frasco underscored the Filipino tourism and hospitality industry’s dedication to protecting empowering and uplifting those who share the warmth of the Philippines globally.
“My work in tourism has always been guided by a simple belief: that the Philippines is greater when we stand together government industry and community moving with the same purpose to uplift our people,” Frasco said.
“Every program we launch every worker we support every destination we uplift is an act of generosity and care toward our people, a step toward a Philippines that thrives not for one person but for all,” she said.
Frasco said the DOT, through its Filipino Brand of Service Excellence (FBSE), is actively working to elevate service standards across the nation.
The DOT has conducted 7,000 FBSE training sessions, benefiting more than 380,000 stakeholders nationwide. This year, the department has trained over 111,000 tourism workers, equipping them with the skills confidence and heart that distinguish Filipino service, she said.
“Our islands are beautiful but it is our values that make the Philippines unforgettable: our resilience our generosity our instinct to help our refusal to lose hope and the grace with which we meet one another in times of challenge,” said Frasco.
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