History of the Program

Tourism and Transportation Management Department

         Tourism is a major dollar earner. It is adjudged as one of the three (3) foreign exchange earners in the Philippines. Tourism is needed most in the economic recovery of the country. 

    Because of the significant role of tourism in the economy, tourism education is necessary to develop students into entrepreneurs, managers and qualified staff personnel for the tourism industry in the Philippines. To meet this objective, the Tourism Department at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines was established. 

       In 1977, Dr. Fe M. Duque, dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, organized the PUP Tourism Curriculum Committee with Dr. Zenaida L. Cruz as the chairman, Profs. Carol llagan, Arthur Dayoan, Adoracion Victorino, Lourdes Dagdag and Mercedes Alfiler as members. This is the university's response to the "tourism boom that existed in the country.The committee conducted extensive research to develop a curriculum for bachelor's degree in tourism. The Curriculum was completed and became operational in 1978. The Tourism Program was under the Social, Behavioral and Humanities Area with Prof. Albino A. Amoguis, Jr. as chairman.

       The first Tourism curriculum is a ladder-type curriculum. It has short and long-range occupational objectives. Employment is the immediate goal while the long-range objective is the attainment of professional competencies. After the grade second year level, the ladder-type curriculum provided preparation to each grade in the hierarchy occupations leading to a profession. Thus, after the second year, the student is prepared for the job of a tour coordinator or tour supervisor. After the third year, the course provides preparation for the job of a guide. The fourth year completes his professional preparation for positions such as tour and travel agency executive, tour and travel agency operator, tourism entrepreneur and tourism faculty.

     In the event that the student quits schooling at the end of two or three years, he obtains a training certificate as a tour coordinator or tour supervisor, after the third year, a certificate as tour guides. If the student completes four years, he obtains a Bachelor's Degree in Tourism. 

      The ladder -type curriculum aims to bridge the gap between the student's desire to earn a professional degree and the national objective of producing more technicians and middle level manpower as well as high quality professionals. The strategy is to orient each year level in college to each step in the occupational ladder starting from the crafts or technician level, then to sub professional jobs and finally to professional careers.

     The ladder-type curriculum is one way of democratizing higher education. It provides an avenue for the poor to obtain professional degrees. Students may study and work at the same time should they find themselves financially handicapped to continue their college education. It is ideal for PUP students since most of them belong to the middle- and low-income groups. It affords the students the opportunity to Work while pursuing their studies.

        Significant progress has taken place since the Bachelor in Tourism course started in 1978. For the school year 1978-79, the Tourism Department had only fifty (50) students. Curriculum revisions have taken place in 1982 and 1986 to further improve it. Enrollment had increased in 1986, from two (2) sections per year level to ten (10) sections for its freshmen enrollees. From the fourth floor, Wing Z of the main building, it occupied the classrooms in the second floor of the De Vega building and some rooms in the High School building for its Saturday classes to accommodate the increasing number of students. As part of student development, a group of graduating students formed the Association of Senior Travel Assistants (ASTA) with Dr. Danilo T. Reyes as the adviser. The association provided the tourism students with worry-free and inexpensive tours. Income generated from the tours were used to finance tuition fees of deserving but financially challenged students.

       In 1987, the course Bachelor in Transportation Management (BTM) was organized under the leadership of Dr. Zenaida L. Cruz, the tourism department chairperson. lts establishment was the result of the directive of Pres. Nemesio E. Prudente to develop additional courses that are related to the existing courses. Since transportation is a component of the tourism industry, the Bachelor in Transportation Management was formed. It is designed to provide training for students whose goals lies in the management of technology rather than the direct  aspects of it in transportation sector. It provides mixture of basic management skills, basic knowledge of the transportation industry and a core of specially designed courses in management and policy application in the specially transportation fields so as to prepare students for managerial positions in any sector of the transportation industry. In the same year, from the College of Arts and sciences, the Tourism and Transportation Management Department was transferred to the College of Business joining the departments of Marketing, Management and Advertising.

      Like Bachelor in Tourism, BTM is also ladder type. Its job targets include ticket supervisor, reservation supervisor, transport planning analyst, operations manager and transport executive. Faculty members Conducted a "Career Talk" to various high schools in Metro Manila to introduce the course and encourage enrollees to its graduating students. Two (2) sections were offered in 1988 and the first batch graduated in 1991, PUP is the first and until now the only academic institution to offer the degree of Bachelor in Transportation Management.

      1988 marks a significant activity in the department when its First Annual Mini-Congress was organized with the theme, "The Role of Planning in Convention Management. Ms. Ramona L. Ty, director of Planning and Development of the Department of Tourism (DOT) and Ms. Ma. Luz A. Cuizon, president of Asia Pacific Convention Organizers of the Philippines (APCOP) were the guest speakers for that memorable affair. It offered a new opportunity for tourism graduates to be involved in convention and event organizing.

        When PUP finally acquired Hasmin Hostel in 1989, it became the home base of the programs Bachelor in Tourism, Bachelor in Hotel and Restaurant Management, Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics and Bachelor of Science in Food Technology. In 1990, Dr. Danilo T. Reyes was appointed chairperson of the Tourism and Transportation Management department. Under his term, new rules were implemented. School uniform was adopted for tourism and transportation management students. Massive drive on cleanliness and orderliness within M.H. del Pilar campus was prioritized. Familiarization tour was liberalized. As part of the program "Pasyal - Aral", students were allowed to visit, destinations such as Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), Corregidor Island, Norther Samar and Palawan to name few. Linkages have been maintained with goverment and non-governmental organizations.

       After Dr. Reyes term has ended in 1996, Prof. Melaida C. Estacio took his post. In the same year, 160 4th year Tourism students had their taste of the first international convention and familiarization tour in Hong Kong. This is in time with the tum-over of Hong Kong to China from British government. The convention at Hong Kong Polytechnic University attended by Polytechnic University of the Philippines tourism students, faculty members and staff made the convention theme, "Breaking New Grounds a reality. As tourists of a foreign country, students experienced the actual tour operation from their departure at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to their arrival at Kai Tak airport in Hong Kong. It also deepens the spirt of nationalism among students by appreciating more of our culture through their experience of meeting other nationality. The same experience in realizing its objectives

        Pres. Zenaida A. Olonan's call for "Excellence in Education through Accreditation" challenged the Tourism and Transportation Management Department to prove that their program is not only measured through the number awards it received in various inter-university competitions which the university won consistently through the years. A celebration was called for when in 1998, it passed the Prelimary Survey made by AACCUP in its programs. 

      While most people were thinking what the new millennium will bring to their lives, the Tourism and Transportation Management Department continued to "Soar into New Heights". A new college was born named College of Tourism, Hotel and Restaurant Management (CTHRM). A dream comes true to realize plans of the three (3) programs namely Bachelor in Tourism, Bachelor in Transportation Management and Bachelor in Hotel and Restaurant Management. With Prof. Maria Teresa C. Villar as the first Dean, Prof. Nora Austria as the HRM Chairperson and Prof. Luzviminda O. Tugade as the Chairperson for the Tourism and Transportation Management Department, the college focused its activities in the achievement of its mission: To prepare socially responsible and world class graduates who are competent for any number of related careers in the tourism and hospitality industry as well as afford them a vast array of entrepreneurial opportunities.

     CTHRM Tours and Travel Agency (formerly ASTA) became more functional by offering quality and affordable packaged tours. Its existence substantiates the funds of the department for research, extension, student and faculty development as well as equipment acquisition. A revised curriculum in Tourism included three (3) units of ABACUS (Travel Industry Computer Reservation System) subject in 2001. This is to prepare the students in the use of Information Technology applied in the business world. Seventy Two (72) graduating students were given optional training in ABACUS with a Certificate of Proficiency upon completion. Profs. Regina B. Zuñiga and Luzviminda O. Tugade were the first two (2) faculty members who received complimentary training from ABACUS in preparation for the integrated system in the Tourism Program. The college underwent its first re-survey visit for level II on November 7-9 of the same year by AACCUP. 

      The Tourism and Transportation Management Department realized that along with the growth of its programs, a need for a more systematic extension service must be given emphasis. The result of the first re-survey visit served as an eye-opener that extension service should not depend on what the benefactors can give but more on how the beneficiaries will get a full advantage of the program. So, in 2002, a research entitled "Baseline Study on the Living Condition of the Residents of Brgy. 428, Zone 43 at Paltoc, Sta. Mesa Manila" was initiated by Profs. Montances, Teopengco and Zuñiga. The output of the research served as a basis for the department in its community-based extension programs with lecture-series on values formation, literacy, outreach tour and livelihood training.

      Faculty members attended series of seminar-workshop on research and got involved in writing research. Senior students were continuously given optional training in ABACUS with at least two faculty members joining them every training period. A memo from CHED led to the revision of Tourism and HRM curriculum. In the revised curriculum, some Tourism and HRM major subjects were included in both programs.

    The department continued its linkages with various agencies, both public and private. In preparation for World Tourism Organization's (WTO) declaration of "Visit Philippines 2003", the Department of Tourism (DOT) sponsored a tour guiding seminar for tourism students attended by participants from different Universities where six (6) PUPians made it. Prof. Yolanda T. Montances succeeded Prof. Tugade as the  department's chairperson.

       The year 2003 was a fruitful year for the department. The annual College week Celebration continued and the first out-of-town faculty development composed of Tourism and HRM faculty was held in Boracay lsland, Aklan.

        As the university started its count-down for its centennial celebration, the CTHRM published its maiden issue of the CTHRM Journal. Tourism students who used to join DOT sponsored Quiz Bee; an invitational inter-university Quiz Competition by University of Makati gave PUP Tourism two (2) bags in a row. In two successive weeks PUP representatives Mark Harmon Anapi, Garynell Capco, Jessiebelle Abarico and Desinie Hermano won first place in the two quiz shows, one from DOT's The Best of the Regions in Historic Philippines" and University of Makati's First Inter-university Quiz Competition. A "Grand Alumni Homecoming' for Bachelor in Tourism and Bachelor in Transportation Management graduates took place on October 4, 2003 on-board Superferry 12. The affair was attended not only by graduates but by former mentors and administrators who were once part of the department. 

     If the former chairpersons of the department gave importance on the improvement on the improvement of its curricular offerings, Chair Montances  requested for a conductive working environment for its faculty members by requesting a modular type of faculty room thru the assistance of the M.H. del Pilar campus director, Prof. Dante A. Prudente. Part of the income generated from the operation of the CTHRM Tours and Travel was utilized in purchasing equipment for the department such as overhead projector, television set and computers.

      The CTHRM College Week celebration which is usually held in M.H. del Pilar campus created a "big bang" in the main campus when in 2004, tourism students showed their talents through street dancing. A Mardigras presentation depicting Pintados, Sinulog, Panagbenga and Ati-atihan by tourism and transportation management students caught the attention of the PUP community. The first semester of the school year 2003-2004 ended with tourism students Banaue-Sagada tour.