Firm trains locals in tour guiding

AS PART of its mission to promote Philippine tourism and culture by empowering women, CARD MRI Hijos Tours organized a two-day tour guide training at Hotel Uno, Davao City.

The training was participated in by seven CARD microfinance clients. It aims to produce tour guides who are passionate to share the identity, heritage, culture, and history of the province to the travelers of the tour company.

They were taught about history, culture, and heritage of Mindanao specifically Davao City to give them the basic foundation of an Hijos tour guide.

CARD MRI Hijos Tours is a community-based travel and tour company that integrates its microfinance clients of CARD in its tour programs to provide them additional source of income.

“It is our creative way of giving additional income generating activities to these clients. We have seen potentials in our clients that need to be properly developed.” said Marilyn M. Manila, Hijos Tours president.

The travel and tours company was established on July 11, 2017 under CARD MRI to provide an experience where history and tradition meet empowerment.

She also shared that the tour program also teaches the locals to take pride of their community and create a livelihood from it as the company’s suppliers. From food to souvenir items, it all comes from the community.

As of November 2019, Hijos Tours has a total of 2,649 travelers with 12 tour guides in its three tour programs.