21/10/2025
๐จ๐๐ง๐ง๐ฆ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐บ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ช๐ผ๐ฟ๐น๐ฑ ๐ง๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐บ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฑ
In celebration of World Tourism Day 2025, the Union of Filipino Tourism and Travel Students (UFTTS) of the University of Southern Mindanao (USM) led a two-day event championing culture, creativity, and sustainability.
Held from October 17, the celebration centered on promoting sustainable cities and communities through eco-friendly tourism and transportationโechoing this yearโs theme, โTourism and Sustainable Transformation: Advancing SDG 11 in Cotabato Province.โ
For Mary Carl Viterbo, a first-year BSTM-B student, the victory was a testament to perseverance and teamwork.
โMost of us are financially struggling, and before pa mag-start ang WTD, my classmate came up with the idea na magkuha na lang kami ng mga materials na itatapon na. We also asked other departments sa kanilang materials na itatapon na kung pwede ibigay na lang sa aminโand it really helped our overall fee this WTD,โ she shared, after UFTTS emerged as the overall champion.
Event director Benz Adrian B. Duran admitted that organizing the celebration was both challenging and rewarding.
โIt was hard and stressful since I was doing the voice-over for the Search for Tourism Ambassador and Ambassadress while overseeing the entire event,โ he said. โHow I overcame it was by staying calm despite the pressure. Instead of panicking, I focused on finding solutions to the problems as they came. Sabi nga ni Ms. Durendes, โA calm mind is a powerful mind,โ and that really stuck with me.โ
Duran emphasized that tourism goes beyond the industry itselfโit molds leaders and fosters resilience.
โThe outcome students would gain from this is the development of the three CโsโCoordination, Collaboration, and Cognitive. Hindi lang po kami magaganda at pogi; matatalino at magagaling din,โ he added with pride.
Through its creative and resourceful celebration, UFTTS not only highlighted the importance of sustainability but also showcased the ingenuity and spirit of the tourism students of USM and the wider Region XII.
โ๏ธ: Eira Nicole Angel
๐ป: Jemlea Puig
