CTFN Facilitators Facilitate Tour Rapido for ASEAN Youth Summit Delegates in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, Philippines

When one thinks of team building activities, we usually think of corny exercises like falling into your buddies arms to gain or build trust. But what happens when these things have been done over and over again and you return to your everyday lives after the series of activities? Well, the kids at the ASEAN Tourism Youth Summit 2016 definitely experienced something else other than your usual team building activities. They had a Tour Rapido, facilitated by the Cebu Team Building Facilitators’ Network in coordination with the Department of Tourism from Region 7 and also with the help of the City’s Tourism office of Dumaguete and done in the beautiful city of smiles, Dumaguete City, Philippines.

Now what is a Tour Rapido you ask? It entails a race where there are four stations and each group must finish the requirements for the first to the fourth station to be able to finish the whole race. Much like the amazing race you see on TV but with a wider range of participants and a much more enjoyable treat for the guests. First one to finish wins.

Delegates off to start the Tour Rapido in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, Philippines

The ASEAN delegates were divided into six groups, each team had to undergo a series of activities per station. Now you might be thinking about the very hardcore, eat-a-weird-local-delicacy, or the jump-off-a-cliff type of thing for these kids to undergo, we made it safe and fun for them because this is also one trademark for the Cebu Team Building Facilitators’ Network.

The next stop was taking a picture at the historic Dumaguete City Belfry. A commanding historical structure built in the year 1811, the Dumaguete City Belfry is the oldest known Belfry in the province. Standing next to the majestic Saint Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral, it still towers above the nearby buildings like a deacon that it once was.

Group of delegates taking a photo at the Dumaguete City belfry

What the kids had to do was just take a picture and learn a local folk song from the residents and have a video taken to show to the marshal of that station for them to get the next clue for the next station.

The third stop for the ASEAN Youth Tourism Summit 2016 in Dumaguete City was inside the Silliman University. This University is the first University in Dumaguete City. Established in 1901 as Silliman Institute by the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, it is also the first American university in the Philippines and the entire Asian continent.

The goal for this pit stop was to make a piece of art using the local or present materials in the school and ask help from the students and teachers as well. This would be for me, the coolest activity since it portrays the artistic quality of each delegate as well as learning to communicate, cooperate and to mingle with the locals. From simple “hanging rice” outputs to artistic revelries using water color, poster paint and even dried up coconut husks, the delegates were able to pull off one heck of a masterpiece per group.

Group of delegates showing their art to pit stop marshal

The last stop was at Bethel guest house, a Christian owned guest house which is one of the most-awarded guest houses in South East Asia. The last stop was to see who got there first, since it was already nearing lunch time. All the teams were able to enjoy the Tour Rapido and a gathering of ideas, on what each individual learned as well as how it can be applied to this organization and what impact will each individual have to the growth of the ASEAN community was discussed in perpetuation to the debriefing.

I had a chance to ask one of the delegates from Singapore named Chester about what Teamwork is about based on the activity that he just experienced and his response was:

“For me, teamwork is the concept of people working together cooperatively, supporting each other in order to strive towards a common goal. Teamwork allows a group of people with different skills, interests and opinions to work together as a unit to reach this goal effectively. However this does not mean that the individual is not important, it does mean that efficient and effective team work goes beyond individual accomplishments. “

The Dumaguete City Tour Rapido was definitely a success and I’m positive everyone got something good out of it.


Note: Photos courtesy of Chada Photography, a photo and video documentation service based in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, Philippines.

This article is written by Lorenzo Jose Cahig, an affiliate team building facilitator of the Cebu Teambuilding Facilitators Network. He was one of 2 facilitators who conducted team building activities for the delegates of the ASEAN Plus Three Tourism Youth Summit 2016 held in Siquijor and Negros Oriental provinces in the Visayas region of the Philippines.