DoT taps senior citizen as tour guides

The Department of Tourism (DoT) and the National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) have partnered to extend the Tourism Legacy and Livelihood Program to senior citizens who have been given the opportunity take on active roles in elderly-friendly and community-based tourism initiatives.

Under the program, senior citizens are allowed to serve as community tour guides upon completing required training.

Among those who have stepped into his new role is 68-year-old Edgardo Satira, a.k.a. “Tatay Ed”, a retired broadcaster with 40 years of experience. Tatay Ed uses his seasoned voice and deep love for storytelling as a DoT-accredited tour guide, captivating travelers and tourists with history told from the heart.

DoT has so far accredited 15 senior citizen tour guides, four of whom are former overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who have found renewed purpose in tour guiding after retirement.

“This program from the NCSC [and] Department of Tourism has given me back the integrity, the dignity of even being a senior citizen. Now, I can say I am still skilled even though I am a senior citizen. Bumalik ulit ‘yung aking confidence na kahit pala ako senior na, ito, binigyan ako ng pagkakataon,” said Tatay Ed.

Beyond pursuing his passion for history, tour guiding has become a dependable retirement and source of income for Tatay Ed.

“Being an accredited tour guide has been a huge help when it comes to my livelihood. It provides a steady income, plus extra perks. If the tourists are happy with you, they’ll definitely give you a tip. It feels so good to know that I still have opportunities to earn,” he added.

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco met with the senior citizen tour guides listening to their experiences and gather insights on how they can meaningfully contribute to the continued growth and development of the training program for the tourism industry.

“I’m so impressed by the variety of professions and backgrounds of those that have successfully passed our senior citizens community tour guide training. I am even more impressed by the overarching purpose that drives them – not just for leisure, not to address boredom perhaps, but more importantly, to serve our country,” said Secretary Frasco said. 

“Our priority has been to provide opportunity for advancement, opportunity for livelihood, and to imprint in both our stakeholders as well as our tourists and the Filipino populace in general that our tourism workers matter, for you are the ones who are the repositories of our stories,” she added.

From 2023 to February 2026, the DOT provided kits to close to 1,300 tour guides, with half receiving insurance coverage.

Prior to accreditation, all senior citizen tour guides underwent a seven-day community tour guiding seminar held on September 24 to October 3, 2025, in partnership with the Intramuros Administration.

The intensive workshop combined lectures, site-based exercises, and mock tours, designed to sharpen both historical knowledge and tour delivery.

For Fe Rojas, a 72-year-old retired teacher turned tour guide, the training boosted not only her confidence but also her sense of responsibility as a cultural storyteller.

“Because of the training, I feel that we are equipped to do our job as a community tour guide,” she said.

Benjamin Cometa, 67, added that the accreditation gives tour guides a sense of legitimacy and accountability.

“Once you are accredited by the DOT, it’s like you have a license to conduct tours inside Intramuros,” he said.

As part of its broader efforts to professionalize tour guiding, the DOT established a criteria for the accreditation of tour guides nationwide.

As of February 2026, there are 4,994 DOT-accredited tour guides in the Philippines, excluding specialist tour guides.

Frasco underscored the vital role of tour guides as frontliners of Philippine tourism, emphasizing the need to continuously hone their skills to elevate visitor experience and strengthen the country’s global competitiveness.