The UST CTHM Students Tourism Society (STS) successfully passed all 3 screenings to be accredited as a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Club by the UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines on December 6, 2021.
Along with 20 previous and current Executive Board members of STS, the organization underwent a virtual interview via Zoom with the National Coordinating Body of UNESCO Clubs in the Philippines (NCBUCP). Current STS President Ms. Grace Villamiel, attended a dialogue meeting with the Director of the UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines. In its closing, the founding chairman of NCBUCP, Dr. Serafin A. Arviola Jr., stated that if the organization were to pass accreditation, STS will then be UNESCO’s first and only tourism organization to be accredited in the Philippines.
According to Villamiel, “It is an absolute honor for the Students Tourism Society to be part of the UNESCO Clubs Philippines, especially since we are the first and only tourism organization to be accredited in the country. I have my STS family to thank for their contributions in making this possible.”
Thanking the current and previous Executive Board members, Villamiel commented that, “We ought to bring more opportunities for CTHM’s Tourism Management students to become competent, compassionate, and committed future tourism professionals!”
The primary purpose of UNESCO Clubs is to develop grassroots initiatives among schools and communities—fostering cultural diversity, international understanding, and social development for people of all ages and walks of life. They seek to disseminate UNESCO’s ideals by letting its constituents undertake activities which broaden cultural horizons and facilitate international exchange all but for worldly cooperation, understanding, and peace. This shall then provide students of the CTHM Tourism Management Department with opportunities in and out of the country to experience life-changing socio-civic moments that transform young minds into empowered youth leaders, community servants, and world advocates.
