THE ASEAN MUTUAL RECOGNITION ARRANGEMENT ON TOURISM PROFESSIONAL

OUTLINE ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) on Tourism Professionals MRA “Infrastructure” ASEAN Tourism Labor Divisions Roles of DOT, TESDA and TIBFI Impacts and Challenges to Governments and Industry 2

ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS (ASEAN) 3

ASEAN 2015 REGIONAL ECONOMIC INTEGRATION GOAL To establish the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) that will transform ASEAN into a region with free movement of goods, services, investment, skilled labor, and freer flow of capital. 4

ASEAN 2015 Regional Economic Integration Areas of Cooperation Human resources development and capacity building; Recognition of professional qualifications; Closer consultation on macroeconomic and financial policies; Trade financing measures; Enhance infrastructure and communications connectivity; Development of electronic transactions through e-ASEAN Integrating industries across the region to promote regional sourcing; and Enhancing private sector involvement for the building of AEC. 5

Important ASEAN Agreements ASEAN Framework Agreement on Services (AFAS) ASEAN Vision 2020 Ministerial Understanding on ASEAN Cooperation in Tourism ASEAN Tourism Agreement (ATA) ASEAN Sectoral Integration Protocol for Tourism 6

ASEAN MRA ???

MRAs Mutual Recognition Arrangements are arrangements between two or more parties to mutually recognize or accept some or all aspects of one another’s conformity with assessment results The ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) on Tourism Professionals was signed by the ASEAN Member States on January 6, 2009 in Hanoi, Vietnam. Thailand signed on November 09, 2012. 8

MRAs Accountancy Services – 2/09 Medical Practitioners – 8/08 Nursing Services -12/06 Electronic and Electrical Equipment–12/05 Dental Practitioners - 8/08 Engineering Services - 12/05 Surveying/Architecture- 9/07 Tourism Professionals -11/12 PRC none 9

MRA Objectives To facilitate mobility of Tourism Professionals/ Workers; To exchange information on best practices in competency-based education and training for Tourism Professionals; and To provide opportunities for cooperation and capacity building across ASEAN member countries. 10

MRA “infrastucture” REGIONAL LEVEL NATIONAL LEVEL The ASEAN Tourism Professional Monitoring Committee (ATPMC) The ASEAN Tourism Professional Registration System (ATPRS) NATIONAL LEVEL The National Tourism Professional Board (NTPB) The Tourism Professional Certification Board (TPCB) ASEAN MRA on Tourism Professionals Awareness Seminar 11

Schematic outline of a mechanism to support an MRA MRA on Tourism Professionals Schematic outline of a mechanism to support an MRA Legend: ATPMC – ASEAN Tourism Professional Monitoring Committee ATPRS – ASEAN Tourism Professional Registration System NTPB – National Tourism Professional Board (National level) TPCB – Tourism Professional Certification Board (National level)

ASEAN Tourism Labor Divisions

Six Labor Divisions Hotel Services Front Office Housekeeping COHREP GMM & Seminar Six Labor Divisions Primary Labor Division Secondary Labor Division Hotel Services Front Office Housekeeping Food Production Food and Beverage Services Travel Services Travel Agency Tour Operations These were the 2 primary divisions, and each primary division was further segregated into 4 areas for the hotel services, 2 for the travel services, and these then were identified as the six secondary labor divisions. Each of the six secondary labor divisions were further refined to indicate job titles that would progress from the rank and file, to the supervisory to the management levels. MCGAquino

Hotel Services (23 job titles) COHREP GMM & Seminar Hotel Services (23 job titles) Food Production Executive Chef Demi Chef Commis Chef Chef de Partie Commis Pastry Baker Butcher Front Office Front Office Manager Front Office Supervisor Receptionist Telephone Operator Bell Boy Housekeeping Executive Housekeeper Laundry Manager Floor Supervisor Laundry Attendant Room Attendant Public Area Cleaner F&B Services F&B Director F&B Outlet Manager Headwaiter Bartender Waiter The results of the workshop created the job titles per secondary labor division. There were 22 job titles in Hotel services MCGAquino

Travel Services (9 job titles) COHREP GMM & Seminar Travel Services (9 job titles) Travel Agencies General Manager Assistant General Manager Senior Travel Consultant Travel Consultant Tour Operator Product Manager Sales and Marketing Manager Credit Manager Ticketing Manager Tour Manager And 9 job titles in travel services. MCGAquino

The ATPMC Consist of ASEAN National Tourism Organizations (NTOs) and appointed representatives from the National Tourism Professional Boards(NTPBs) 17

as NATIONAL TOURISM ORGANIZATION (NTO) Department of Tourism as NATIONAL TOURISM ORGANIZATION (NTO) Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) as TOURISM PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION BOARD (TPCB) Tourism Industry Board Foundation, Inc. (TIBFI) as NATIONAL TOURISM PROFESSIONAL BOARD (NTPB) 18

as NATIONAL TOURISM ORGANIZATION (NTO) Department of Tourism as NATIONAL TOURISM ORGANIZATION (NTO) Develop, coordinate and implement work programmes/plans to enhance cooperation in tourism Provide a mechanism to promote participation from the private or business sector and non-government organizations Establish working groups to assist in the development and implementation of policies and work programmes Represent the Philippines in the ASEAN Tourism Professional Monitoring Committee (ATPMC) 19

Tourism Professional Certification Board Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) as TOURISM PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION BOARD (TPCB) Tourism Professional Certification Board Government board or agency authorized by the government of each ASEAN Member State primarily responsible for the assessment and certification of tourism professionals 20

TPCB Assess qualifications and/or competencies of tourism professionals as specified in the ACCSTP Issue certificates to tourism professionals whose qualifications and/or competencies comply with the ACCSTP Develop, process and maintain a registry of certified tourism professionals and job opportunities Notify the NTPB when foreign tourism professionals are no longer qualified or have violated any technical, professional or ethical standards 21

National Tourism Professional Board Tourism Industry Board Foundation, Inc. (TIBFI) as NATIONAL TOURISM PROFESSIONAL BOARD (NTPB) National Tourism Professional Board Refers to the Board for Tourism Professionals composed of representatives from the public and private sectors including the academia and other relevant tourism stakeholders as identified by the ASEAN NTOs. 22

NTPB Create awareness and disseminate information about the ASEAN MRA Promote, update, maintain and monitor the ASEAN Common Competency Standards on TP (ACCSTP) and the Common ASEAN Tourism Curriculum (CATC) Facilitate the exchange of information on assessment procedures, criteria, systems, manuals and publications relating to the MRA Report its work progress to the ASEAN NTO Formulate and update necessary mechanism to enable implementation of the MRA Facilitate the exchange of best practices in the tourism sector 23

TIBFI Composition Private : Government : Labor : DOT TESDA UP-AIT HRAP PTAA AHRM COHREP UFTE PACEOS EHAP HSMA PHILTOA AAHRMEI NATSA PBL HRCAP TCP ATOP Government : DOT TESDA UP-AIT Labor : NUWHRAIN-APL 24

Impacts & Challenges

For Governments MRAs ensure commitment and agreement to international trade, and encourage the sharing of good practice and information between partners. This can lead to: Reduced costs; Increased competitiveness; Increased market access; and Freer flow of trade. 26

For Tourism Industry Facilitate mobility of tourism professionals based on the tourism competency qualification/certificate; Enhance conformity of competency based training/ education; Recognize skills of tourism professionals Improve the quality of tourism human resources (graduates ready to work in the industry); and Enhance the quality of tourism services 27

Challenges “Brain drain” of trained tourism professionals Trained TPs may choose to work overseas due to better employment opportunities Attrition/ loss of trained workers Affect the service quality in the Philippines

Implementation Issues Need to protect national interests especially to ensure local employment is not affected Readiness of member states in terms of establishment of MRA – TP system Support of concerned government agencies on education & training, and domestic labor policies 29

Implementation Issues Embedding ACCSTP/CATC in the Philippine Tourism Curriculum and K to 12 school system Tourism & Hospitality curriculum for Kto12 is under Home Economics; Training of teachers; Equipping students with competencies for employability. 30

CONVERGENCE ACTIVITIES

CONVERGENCE ACTIVITIES 2013 ASEAN MRA Awareness Seminars DOT – initiated - 13 seminars Industry - initiated - 10 seminars 2014 ASEAN MRA Awareness Seminars DOT – initiated – 5 seminars Industry - initiated - 4 seminars Attendees: 6,389 pax

CONVERGENCE ACTIVITIES National Master Trainers and Master Assessors Training on Housekeeping TESDA Women’s Ctr., NCR - 35 pax Waterfront Lahug, Cebu - 32 pax Trainig of Tourism Workers under ADB-CIDA Project in 4 pilot areas (Cebu, Bohol, Davao. Palawan) 26 Project Grantees – est. 4,130 workers trained 23 Project Grantees (2nd Phase)- on going

CONVERGENCE ACTIVITIES Convergence Workshop (DOT, DOLE, DEPED, CHED, TESDA, TIBFI) Date: October 23-24, 2014 and February 3, 2015 Venue: Makati City and Bayleaf Hotel Benchmarking Program (DOT, DOLE, DEPED, CHED, TESDA, TIBFI) Date: December 8-10, 2014 Venue: Singapore and Malaysia Date: February 16-18, 2015 Venue: Cambodia and Thailand

CONVERGENCE ACTIVITIES 3rd Tourism Human Resource Congress Date: March 23, 2015 Venue: Davao City (374 attendees) Alignment of National Competency Standards with ACCSTP for NCII Levels (Housekeeping, Food Production [Cookery], Front Office and Food & Beverage [Waitering])

CONVERGENCE ACTIVITIES National Master Trainers and Master Assessors Training on Food and Beverage (FB) Date: May 11-16, 2015 Venue: Diamond Hotel, Manila National Master Trainers and Master Assessors Training on Front Office (FO) Date: July 13-18, 2015 Venue: Subic, Zambales National Master Trainers and Master Assessors Training on Food Production (FP) Date: October 5-10,2015 Venue: TESDA Women’s Center, NCR

CONVERGENCE ACTIVITIES ASEAN MRA Awareness Seminars Date : June 29, 2015 Venue: Tagaytay, Calabarzon Date : September 3, 2015 Venue: Mindoro, Mimaropa Date : September 11,2015 Venue: San Fernando, La Union

CONVERGENCE ACTIVITIES Assessment and Certification of Tourism Workers in the 4 labor divisions (Housekeeping, Front Office, Food Production, Food and Beverage) aligned with the ASEAN Standards Davao Cebu / Bohol Palawan

Next Steps

NEXT STEPS ASEAN LEVEL Development of Toolbox on Travel & Tour Services Establishment of a Regional Secretariat Development of the ASEAN Tourism Professional Registration System (ATPRS)

Are you OUT? I’m IN! Are you IN? ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangement to Tourism & Hospitality Education Are you OUT? Are you IN? I’m IN!

More fun in the Philippines Learning.

Thank You!