13/05/2026
๐ข๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฃ๐ต๐ฝ๐ญ๐ต-๐ ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ฌ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ด ๐ง๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐บ ๐๐ป๐ป๐ผ๐๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐๐ต๐ญ
Tourism continues to open opportunities for innovative and forward-looking Filipino youth.
This, as the Department of Tourism (DOT), Tourism Infrastructure Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) awarded a total of PHP19.25 million to 17 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, whose innovative tourism proposals emerged as national and regional winners of the Tourism Start-up Challenge.
A joint program of the three national government agencies, the Tourism Start-up Challenge is an annual nationwide competition among students enrolled in HEIs with innovative tourism-related projects that can compete for funding under the Higher Education Development Fund (HEDF).
Dedicated to fund student financial assistance, scholarships, research development, and institutional development, the HEDF is funded 40% from the annual share in the total gross collections of the travel tax as stipulated in Section 10 of Republic Act 7722 or the Higher Education Act of 1994.
๐ง๐ผ๐ฝ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐บ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐-๐๐ฝ๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ต๐ฝ๐ฑ-๐ ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต
During the awarding ceremony on Tuesday (May 12) in Quezon City, the DOT, TIEZA, and CHED awarded Php 5 million grant each to three national winners for presenting tourism start-up concepts aligned with the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) 2023-2028.
Naga College Foundation, Inc. was recognized as the national winner for Luzon for its project โGoDare,โ which develops a gamified travel application designed to promote sustainable tourism. Through partnerships with small and medium-sized enterprises and local government units, the project aims to support local businesses and provide travelers with unique and engaging experiences.
Meanwhile, Siquijor State College was hailed as the national winner for Visayas with its project โSiquiScan: Smart Destination Management System for Sustainable Tourism in the Island of Siquijor.โ Their winning proposal is a QR-based mobile and web platform that provides real-time crowd monitoring, tourism information, emergency assistance, and AI-powered assistance for improved destination management.
Emerging as the national winner for Mindanao is Ateneo de Davao University. Their project โKuyog: Find and Book Local Tour Guidesโ is a digital travel companion and booking platform that connects tourists with local guides to enhance travel convenience and strengthen community-based tourism.
๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐
Prior to the national selection, 17 regional winners each received PHP 250,000 grants for being chosen as their respective regionโs representative in the competition.
The 17 regional winners were:
Region 1 : PHINMA - University of Pangasinan
Region 2: Saint Maryโs University
Region 3: Aurora State College of University
Region IV-A: Lyceum of the Philippines University Cavite
Region IV-B: Occidental Mindoro State College
Region V: Naga College Foundation, Inc.
Region VI: Central Philippine University
Region VII: Cebu Normal University
Region VIII: Easter Samar States University - Guiuan Campus
Region IX: Ateneo de Zamboanga University
Region X: Bukidnon State University
Region XI: Ateneo de Davao University
Region XII: Santa Cruz Mission School Inc.
CARAGA: Agusan Del Sur State University
CAR: University of the Cordilleras
NCR: University of the Philippines Asian Institute of Tourism
NIR: Siquijor State College
Officially launched in September 2025, the program generated 156 submissions which were then subjected to provincial and regional vetting from January to February 2026.
