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| Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco with DOT-accredited senior citizen tour guides in Intramuros, Manila (Image Source: Manila Standard/Department Of Tourism - Philippines) |
Tourism continues to give voice and opportunities at every stage of life. As evidence, the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) rolled out the Tourism Legacy and Livelihood Program for senior citizens to take on active roles in elderly-friendly and community-based tourism initiatives. Aligned with inclusive tourism efforts, the program gives senior citizens the opportunity to serve as community tour guides upon completing required interviews and training.
Among those who have stepped into his new role is 68-year-old Edgardo Satira, known to many as “Tatay Ed”. A retired broadcaster with 40 years of experience, Tatay Ed now channels his seasoned voice and deep love for storytelling as a DOT-accredited tour guide, captivating travelers and tourists with history told from the heart. As of February 23, 2026, the DOT has accredited 15 senior citizen tour guides under the program, four of whom are former overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who have found renewed purpose in tour guiding after retirement. “This program from the NCSC [and] Department of Tourism has given me back the integrity, the dignity of even being a senior citizen. Because now, I can say I am still skilled even though I am a senior citizen. Bumalik ulit ‘yung aking confidence na kahit pala ako senior na, ito, binigyan ako ng pagkakataon,” said Tatay Ed. Beyond pursuing his passion for history, tour guiding has become a dependable retirement and source of income for Tatay Ed. He said, “Being an accredited tour guide has been a huge help when it comes to my livelihood. It provides a steady income, plus extra perks. If the tourists are happy with you, they’ll definitely give you a tip. It feels so good to know that I still have opportunities to earn.”
Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco has personally met with these DOT-accredited senior citizen tour guides last February 25, 2026 to listen to their experiences and gather insights on how they can meaningfully contribute to the continued growth and development of the training program for the tourism industry. Expressing her gratitude to the newly-accredited senior citizen tour guides, Secretary Frasco said, “I’m so impressed by the variety of professions and backgrounds of those that have successfully passed our senior citizens community tour guide training. But even more impressed by the overarching purpose that drives you to be here – not just for leisure, not to address boredom perhaps, but more importantly, to serve our country. Our priority has been to provide opportunity for advancement, opportunity for livelihood, and to imprint in both our stakeholders as well as our tourists and the Filipino populace in general that our tourism workers matter, for you are the ones who are the repositories of our stories.” The Tourism Chief also personally handed over curated essential kits to senior citizen tour guides, each containing a portable lapel microphone, sunblock, hat, journal, tumbler, and sunglasses, along with accident insurance coverage. From 2023 to February 2026, the DOT provided essential kits to close to 1,300 tour guides with half receiving insurance coverage as personal gift from the tourism chief.
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| 68-year-old Edgardo “Tatay Ed” Satira finds renewed purpose as a DOT-accredited tour guide after forty years serving as a radio broadcaster (Image Source: Manila Standard/Department Of Tourism - Philippines) |
Prior to accreditation, all senior citizen tour guides underwent a seven-day community tour guiding seminar held last September 24-October 3, 2025, in partnership with the Intramuros Administration. The intensive workshop combined lectures, site-based exercises, and mock tours, designed to sharpen both historical knowledge and tour delivery. Tatay Ed recalled, “The seven-day workshop was fun and challenging at the same time. [May] mock tour na bibigyan ka ng isang particular na strategic place at ‘yoon ang bibigyan mo ng istorya. And there were experts, reliable resource speakers na kinuha para magbigay sa amin ng iba’t ibang mga kaalaman.” For Fe Rojas, the training boosted not only her confidence but also her sense of responsibility as a cultural storyteller. “Because of the training provided by Department of Tourism, I feel that we are equipped to do our job as a community tour guide,” said the 72-year-old retired teacher turned tour guide. While skills-building is key, Tatay Ed emphasized the importance of DOT accreditation in tour guiding, stating, “It is only right that the Department of Tourism requires accreditation because you have to undergo training to get it. It is better to have a structured process so that the flow of a beautiful and polished story is not lost.” Benjamin Cometa, 67, echoed the same, regarding accreditation that gives tour guides a sense of legitimacy and accountability, saying, “Of course, once you are accredited by the DOT, it’s like you have a license to conduct tours inside Intramuros.”
As part of its broader efforts to professionalize tour guiding, the DOT has established a clear criteria for the accreditation of tour guides nationwide. As of February 2026, there are 4,994 DOT-accredited tour guides in the Philippines, excluding specialist tour guides. At the heart of the DOT’s capacity-building efforts is the Filipino Brand of Service Excellence (FBSE), the Department’s flagship training program aimed at elevating tourism service quality anchored on the globally recognized Filipino brand of hospitality. Under the FBSE, the DOT has trained workers from primary and secondary tourism enterprises, including accommodation facilities, travel agencies, tour guides, community-based tourism organizations, restaurants, theme parks, souvenir shops, transport services, and government frontline agencies. From 2022 to January 2026, a total of 412,640 individuals have completed the FBSE training nationwide. Out of that number, 12,786 are tour guides. Secretary Frasco underscored the vital role of tour guides as frontliners of Philippine tourism, emphasizing the need to continuously hone their skills to elevate visitor experience and strengthen the country’s global competitiveness. She stated, “By prioritizing the professional development of our tour guides, we ensure that every visitor encounter reflects the quality, warmth, and excellence of Filipino hospitality, which ultimately drives tourism growth and creates more sustainable livelihoods for our communities. Every story our tour guides tell gives the Philippines a voice. Every visitor they welcome gives the country its heart. And every island they care for keeps the soul of our nation alive.”
