Mariano Marcos
State University

MMSU JAHP among most outstanding hospitality student orgs in PH

By Myrrha Prima Rosa Muli

The Junior Association of Hospitality Practitioners (JAHP) of Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) was named among the country’s most outstanding hospitality student organizations during the 7th Anniversary Celebration of the Junior Tourism and Hospitality Management Association of the Philippines (JTHMAP) on September 17.

Students, organizations, and advisers from across the country competed based on their submitted accomplishments, projects, achievements, civic engagement, and innovations, as well as their contributions to tourism and hospitality education.

JAHP has steadily improved its standing from seventh place in 2024 to fifth in 2025, maintaining the latter position this year despite changes in the competition’s guidelines and a more rigorous portfolio submission and panel interview process.

Ms. Kathleen Kay Tomas, MMSU-JAHP adviser, expressed pride in the student officers who took on the challenge of presenting the organization’s work during the competition, despite the revised criteria that required them to present their projects, accomplishments, and future plans under a different evaluation system. “We are very grateful that despite the challenge this year has given us, we were still able to retain our rank from last year,” she said.

Representing the organization alongside the adviser were President Mark Darwin Caldito, Vice President Mark Dave Agpaoa, and Secretary Ladeene Geronimo.

Meanwhile, Denmark Tajon, a third-year BS in Hospitality Management student, was named the 10th Most Outstanding Hospitality Management Student in the Philippines. His recognition marked JAHP’s first entry in the student category.

The awards underscore the value of such initiatives in developing leadership, creativity, and professional competence among future hospitality practitioners, with JAHP’s achievements opening opportunities for more MMSU students to showcase their potentials and gain recognition in the national tourism and hospitality community.