Four ISUFST students to begin internships in Japan

By Herman Lagon

Four Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management students from the Iloilo State University of Fisheries Science and Technology (ISUFST) are set to depart for Aichi, Japan on October 23 for a six-month international internship under the Student Internship Abroad Program.

The interns—Justin Philip Dooma Barcelona and Jib Arthur Deloso De Los Reyes from the Dumangas Campus, and Astread Diane Balboa and Jianlei Ausmolo Albano from the Main Campus–Poblacion Site—will be accompanied to Ninoy Aquino International Airport by Michelle Pahayculay, dean of the College of Hospitality Management.

Earlier today, the group paid a courtesy visit to ISUFST President Dr. Nordy Siason Jr., who urged them to embrace the experience with humility, discipline, and gratitude.

He encouraged the students to learn from Japan’s culture of precision and respect and to return with lessons that would help them grow as globally competent yet locally grounded graduates.

This deployment marks the second batch of ISUFST students to participate in the Japan program, following the pioneering group from the Dumangas Campus.

The initiative stems from a Memorandum of Agreement signed on August 9, 2024, between ISUFST and Goushigaisha Mifune, represented by Dr. Siason and Ota Masataka of the Aichi International Education Center.

Ota and coordinator Irish Detablan, both early collaborators with ISUFST, have been instrumental in developing the university’s Japan Internship Program since its inception in 2023.

The program reflects ISUFST’s ongoing commitment to internationalization and global education standards.

Under the agreement, qualified Hospitality and Tourism Management students undergo a six-month internship in Japan after completing intensive pre-departure training in Japanese language, culture, and workplace values.

The partnership with Goushigaisha Mifune was strengthened after an on-site visit earlier this year led by Dean Pahayculay to evaluate facilities, training protocols, and support systems in compliance with CHED Memorandum Order No. 10, Series of 2023.

The evaluation confirmed the site’s readiness to host Filipino students, further affirming ISUFST’s dedication to quality-assured international training programs.

Japanese partner institutions expressed appreciation for ISUFST students’ discipline, preparation, and respect—traits that align with Japan’s values.

One previous intern, Angelo Saquian, was recently hired as a regular employee in Aichi, while another, Mecca Ela Doquesa, now serves as a manager-trainer for a national food chain.

These successes reflect ISUFST’s broader goal of opening global opportunities for students, following similar internship runs in Thailand and Indonesia.

Last month, another group of Hospitality Management students from ISUFST’s Dingle and San Enrique campuses also left for Japan to train under separate hotel partners.

Agriculture students are still awaiting deployment, with the Japan partner working with the Department of Agriculture and the Agricultural Training Institute to facilitate their internships.

This new chapter in Japan comes on the heels of ISUFST receiving an award for excellence in internationalization, underscoring its growing global presence—one student, one partnership, one dream at a time.