ANGELES CITY -- A tricycle driver from Diamond Subdivision recently turned over an expensive mobile phone to its owner.
Ronaldo Tiotuico, Department of Tourism Central Luzon director, lauded the driver Salvador "Buddy" Dizon III, of Barangay Claro M. Recto here, for turning over the cellphone owned by Venky Venkatesan, and Indian national working as program manager at Sutherland call center in Clark Freeport.
Tiotuico said he was elated by the honest gesture of the trike driver, who is a member of the Diamond Subdivision Tricycle Operator and Driver Association (DIASTODA) headed by its president Nel Allanigue.
A simple turn-over rites took place at Marlim Mansions Hotel where the tourism department is conducting a multi-agency sponsored seminar on effective customer service.
The objective of the seminar is to train drivers on honesty, value formation and customer relations in the light of an unprecedented increase in the rate of air passenger arrivals via Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA), according to Tiotuico.
Dizon is one of the first batch of participants in the seminar which started June 27 and will end on July 8.
The program is meant to professionalize the services of the city public transport sector to make the city a tourist-friendly community.
Some 700 drivers are expected to finish the course during the 10-day training period. An awards system will soon be put together to motivate them to work hard for the improvement of the city’s tourism image and reputation.
Dizon is a father of four and has been in the service for the last 16 years.
He timidly said that this is not the first incident where he returned valuables left inside his trike.
According to him, he already returned 15 valuables.
Venkatesan thanked Dizon saying that members of the Diamond trike association are known to be honest, courteous and friendly to tourists.
He has been patronizing the services of the association for the last two years.
Tiotuico expressed gratitude to the Angeles City Tourism Office (ACTO), Clark Development Corporation (CDC) Tourism Office, Global Gateway Logistics City (GGLC), Hotels and Restaurants of Pampanga (HARP), Pampanga Agents Travel Society (PATS), Alliance of Travel & Tour Agencies of Pampanga (ATTAP), Clark Investors and Locators Association (CILA), Subic Clark Alliance for Development Council (SCAD), Greater Clark Visitors Bureau (GCVB), Metro Angeles Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MACCII), Balibago Barangay Council, and the city police for assisting the DOT regional office on the project.
