DOT eyes more tour guide courses for senior citizens

By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora, Philippine News Agency

SENIOR TOUR GUIDES. Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco meets the first batch of senior citizens who are undergoing training to become accredited tour guides in Intramuros during their workshop at Centro Intramuros on Wednesday (Sept. 24, 2025). (PNA photos by Yancy Lim)

MANILA – The Department of Tourism (DOT) will conduct more training for senior citizens to serve as guides.

The tourism chief announced DOT’s plans during a visit to the ongoing 7-day training for the first batch of aspiring senior tour guides at the Centro de Turismo Intramuros in Manila on Wednesday.

“Simula palang ito (This is just the beginning), this is the start of what we foresee will be a very promising program for our seniors,” she told reporters.

“The first phase is the training of senior citizens to be tour guides dito sa (here in) Intramuros, and the next few phases will include our other destinations within the Philippines.”

Once these senior citizens finish the course, Frasco said the Intramuros Administration will ensure that the training they took up will result in getting them “engagements as tour guides” within the walled city.

The Community Tour Guiding Seminar for Senior Citizens is the pilot program established under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the DOT and the National Commission of Senior Citizens last May 21.

The first batch, composed of 30 participants aged 60 to 79 years old, will undergo a 56-hour training from Sept.

24 to Oct. 2, 2025.

The program also aligns with the celebration of Tourism Month, which the DOT said reflects its commitment to inclusive tourism.

Programs for senior citizens are among the key initiatives of the DOT through the Office of Special Concerns, which is tasked to address the needs of priority sectors in the country.

On the sidelines of the training program, Frasco also gifted more than 40 Manila tour guides and kalesa (carriage) drivers with tour guiding kits and medical insurance.