The Filipino Hospitality (TFH), a Puerto Princesa-based hospitality and tourism consultancy, training, and marketing firm, is deeply honored and humbled to be this year’s grant recipient of the ASEAN Foundation and Maybank Foundation. With gratitude a profound sense of responsibility, TFH is proud to represent the Philippines in empowering youth in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.

As Ms. Tirza Listiarani,  Senior Project Officer of  eYAA, ASEAN Foundation stated,  “TFH was chosen as one of the implementing partners for eYAA Cohort 6, after a long and a highly competitive selection process that included more than 200 applicants across the ASEAN region. The location of the project is very interesting and  the project design is very community driven and locally relevant.”. About eYAA

eYAA (empowering Youth Across ASEAN) is a regional youth volunteer and leadership program organized by the ASEAN Foundation and Maybank Foundation. It is designed to unlock the potential of young changemakers (ages 19–35), empowering them to design and lead community-driven projects that create lasting social impact. This year, 10 projects will be implemented across eight ASEAN countries: Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

TFH’s Winning Program Pitch: Y.E.S. We Can! Youth Empowerment Series

Mr. Martin Aguilar, TFH’s Chief Equipping Officer shared that the winning program focuses on providing opportunities to disadvantaged youth in Puerto Princesa City while supporting the need of the city in terms of manpower through hospitality skills program (the first hospitality-related pitch since eYAA Started in 2018).

Challenge

• Palawan’s tourism industry faces a significant labor challenge.
• Local marginalized youth, especially out-of-school and underprivileged individuals, are often excluded from employment opportunities.
• Without the resources for traditional four-year degrees, these youth remain trapped in poverty, while local businesses continue to experience a shortage of qualified workers.
• Provide quality manpower as the City prepares to open more opportunities in this sector (convention center, Sta. Lucia environmental estate).

Solution

1. Accelerated Skills Training o Proposed Activity: Face-to-face training in             hospitality and tourism careers   through Housekeeping 101, Food & Beverage 101, and Front Office 101.
   • Duration: One-day introduction to major hospitality courses.
   • Target Participants: Disadvantaged youth in the city.

2. Digitalization o Proposed Activity: Online training on digital literacy and hospitality technology skills to help youth compete for tech-driven roles.
   • Duration: One-day webinar.
   • Target Participants: Current hospitality and tourism students.

3. Entrepreneurship o Proposed Activity: Community tourist site assessments to identify entrepreneurship opportunities and help locals start their own eco-tourism or artisanal micro-enterprises, boosting local livelihoods and strengthening the tourism supply chain. Target Participants: Youth in community tourist sites (City Tour, Honda Bay Area, and communities in the Puerto Princesa Underground River). o Duration: Three days of site assessments involving 11 youth volunteers, followed by a one-day entrepreneurship workshop with the local community.

Through partnerships with local government units, NGOs, and the academe, this program is set to pilot in July 2026 in Puerto Princesa City. Eleven youth volunteers from ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and the newest member, Timor-Leste) will fly to Puerto Princesa City and work collaboratively alongside TFH and its partners to ensure the program’s success.

Sustainability Plan

Ms. Rita Sarmiento, Co-founder of The Filipino Hospitality Training Center Inc. (the official training arm of TFH), shared that the Center will identify interested youths to proceed with a three-month training program using a dualized approach (30% theoretical, 70% hands-on). This ensures that every learner gains practical, on-theground skills and will make them job-ready!

Their goal is to empower the marginalized and upskill existing practitioners through accessible, globally competitive training, led by real-life industry practitioners specifically by leveraging opportunities in hospitality and tourism.

Additional Info:

The Quintuple Helix Model

TFH builds its program on the quintuple helix model, which includes the following components:

Hands-On Community Projects – Youth volunteers partner with civil society, government, and the private sector to run hospitality and tourism initiatives through TFH training.

• Cross-Border Collaboration – Youth volunteers from all 11 ASEAN countries will travel to Palawan to learn from the local community and share best practices.
• Skill Development – Volunteers and locals receive hands-on training, workshops, mentorship, site assessments, and leadership coaching to build project management skills.
• Regional Networking – A powerful platform connecting young professionals, NGO leaders, and experts to collaborate on transformative social impact.
• Environmental Stewardship Through Site Assessments and Community Engagements – Through guided site assessments and community activities, volunteers learn how sustainable tourism supports ecosystems and local livelihoods.