The Department of Tourism – Region III (DOT-III), in partnership with the Commission on Higher Education – Region III (CHED-III), selected the top project to represent Central Luzon at the national stage of the Tourism Start-Up Challenge (TSC) during its regional vetting held on February 12, 2026, at the CDC Building 2125, Clark Freeport Zone.
To ensure a well-rounded and comprehensive evaluation, the entries were reviewed by a distinguished panel composed of Dr. Maria Anna David-Cruz from the academe, Mr. John R. Montances from the local government, and Dr. Jean Paolo G. Lacap from the tourism industry.
The TSC is a convergence program of DOT and CHED that supports student-led innovative projects. Each regional finalist receives a ₱250,000 grant and will compete for the ₱5,000,000 grant at the national level.
