Håfa Adai Pledge Newsletter

H Å FA ADAI E VERYDAY | AUGUST 2019 | Volume 12, Issue No. 1

Six Local Businesses take the

Håfa Adai Pledge

GVB President & CEO, Pilar Laguaña (center) welcomed (from left to right): Boy Wonder Creative Agency Founder & Creative Director, Francis Valencia , Maisa Guam Owner, Aguarin Iriarte , The Hive Guam Owner, Gary Sung , Beekeeper’s Association of Guam Representatives, Jordan Rosario , (Research Associate I) & Olympia Terrell (Research Associate II), Håfa Adai Honey and Griffith Pacific Owner, Micah Griffith as the newest members of the Hafa Adai Pledge Program on Wednesday, August 7, 2019.

The Guam Visitors Bureau welcomed The Hive Guam, Boy Wonder Creative Agency, Beekeeper’s Association of Guam, Håfa Adai Honey, Griffith Pacific and Maisa Guam as its newest members to the Håfa Pledge familia at The Hive Guam on Wednesday, August 7th.

GVB President & CEO Pilar Laguana shared, “It’s really wonderful to see new local entrepreneurs come into our Håfa Adai Pledge family. It’s exciting to see how our community is thinking of creative ways to be part of our island economy through the products and services offered to visitors and the local community.”

Maisa Guam owner, Aguarian Iriarte noted, “For us at Maisa, whether it’s how we chose our name, how we source our products, to our advocacy for a greater appreciation and respect for Guam and our culture, these are things that we’ve done since day one. So it was a natural progression that has led us here today to sign the pledge. I really believe that the Håfa Adai Pledge isn’t just the responsibility of GVB but really the responsibility of all citizens who call Guam home. In particular businesses on Guam because we really are the pillars of the community and can set a good example to others.”

HAP Kids enjoy cultural activities and signing ceremony held at Hagåtña Library

GVB Director of Global Marketing Nadine Leon Guerrero (center) welcomed (from left to right): Local Cultural Weaver Kyana Tuncap, UOG Press Managing Editor Victoria-Lola Leon Guerrero and children from the Hagåtña Library Saturday Story Program as the newest members of the Hafa Adai Pledge Program on Saturday, August 3, 2019.

As part of the ceremony, UOG Press hosted a special reading and book signing featuring local author Dolores Barcinas Santos and her recently released book--13 Months in Malesso’. HAP signer, Kyana Tuncap, taught children how to weave coconut leaves as part of the event.

Un dangkulo na si yu'os ma'åse' to UOG Press, Kyana Tuncap and the families of children in attendance for sharing the Håfa Adai Spirit with our community and continuing to promote Guam’s unique culture by making our island a better place to l ive, work, and visit.

Håfa Adai Pledge Kids Community Outreach:

UOG Press Author Reading & Book Signing

The Håfa Adai Pledge Kids joined the University of Guam Press (UOG Press) for their Author Reading & Book signing event at the Guam Public library in Hagåtña. UOG Press celebrated the release of their latest publication, 13 Months in Malesso, by Dolores Barcinas Santos with an author reading, book signing, and weaving demonstrations. Learn more about the book here:

UOG Press

Håfa Adai Pledge Program Grows with the Office of Senator Joe S. San Agustin and the Office of Finance and Budget

Back Row (from left to right): GVB Cultural Heritage Officer, Dee Hernandez , Budget Analyst, Vanessa Valencia , Budget Analyst, Llewelyn Terlaje , Budget Analyst Joseph Cabana , Policy Research Analyst, John Ray Taitano , Office Manager, RoseMarie Mesa , Communications Specialist, Elizabeth San Nicolas , Chief Policy Advisor, Joe Mesngon , Legislative Administrative Assistant, Hope Delos Reyes , GVB Public Informations Officer, Josh Tyquiengco . Front Row (from left to right): Director of Finance and Budget, Stephen Guerrero , The Honorable Joe S. San Agustin , Senator of the 35th Legislature, GVB Vice President, Bobby Alvarez.

The Office of Senator Joe San Agustin commemorated the island’s 75th Liberation festivities along with the Håfa Adai Pledge Program’s 10-year anniversary by renewing their Håfa Adai Pledge. Senator Joe San Agustin and his team work to further incorporate the CHamoru culture into their efforts in servicing the local community and sharing the Håfa Adai Spirit with all through their pledges.

Senator Joe S. San Augstin shared, “I am one-hundred percent behind the CHamoru culture; and with that said, I will continue to support the Håfa Adai Pledge Program every day.”

The Office of Finance and Budget joined the Senator’s Office in taking the pledge. During his remarks on the Office of Finance and Budget’s decision to take the pledge, Director of the Office of Finance and Budget, Stephen Guerrero shared, “We do our best to allocate the resources we have in the government to continue to promote the Håfa Adai Spirit through our culture and our government agencies. We are very much in favor of supporting this pledge.”

The Guam Visitors Bureau thanks our government partners such as the Office of Senator Joe S. San Agustin and the Office of Finance and Budget for continuing to promote Guam’s unique culture through their service to our people of Guam.

CHECK OUT SENATOR SAN AGUSTIN'S IMPRESSIVE OFFICE DECÓR!

The Office of Senator Joe San Agustin has pledged to incorporate local and CHamoru artwork in the workplace. As seen in the video, Senator Joe and his team went above and beyond to uphold this pledge! We hope this inspires others to take on this pledge and do the same in their workplace.

Living the Håfa Adai Pledge:

Ashley Wright

Ashley Wright is a Recreation Attendant at the Fiesta Resort Guam and assists lifeguards in monitoring the children’s pool.

She exemplifies the values of the Håfa Adai Pledge in all aspects of her employment and fully understands the importance of her role in local and visitor safety.

Sharing the Håfa Adai Spirit with locals and visitors is one of Ashley's strong suits. Her warm, inviting aura makes guests feel as if they are family at the resort and treats them as such.

Ashley incorporates cultural values such as Gineftao which is defined as social responsibility in times of trouble and generosity. While Ashley is not a certified lifeguard herself, she has physically saved the most lives out of all the hotel staff. Ashley goes above and beyond of what is asked of her and performs to the best of her abilities in order to ensure visitors and locals alike enjoy their time at the resort and on the island.

We thank citizens such as Ashley Wright for being ambassadors of Guam and the Håfa Adai Pledge Program. Si yu'os ma'ase' to Ashley Wright for inspiring visitors and our local community to live out the Håfa Adai Pledge in every aspect of life. Thank you for making Guam a better place to live, work, and visit!

Tourism Works for Burger King King

Burger King is this week's Tourism Works Weekly Profile Feature! Take a look at how Tourism works for Burger King! Alan Myers , General Manager of the Micronesia Mall location shares, "Tourism lets us show off our island-spirit, the Håfa Adai Spirit!"

Tourism Talk Tour with

Mañelu: Community site of Pagachao

GVB Destination Specialist Nakisha Garrido and GVB Director of Tourism Nico Fujikawa joined Mañe'lu at their community site in Pagachao as part of GVB's Tourism Talk Tours. The team broke down tourism to participants and explained how each resident of Guam has an important role in the island's tourism industry!

Tourism Works for FSM Community!

GVB President & CEO Pilar Laguaña and GVB Destination Specialist Nakisha Garrido met with Consul General Teresa Filepin and FSM association members to discuss the importance of tourism education in communities.

GVB introduced its Tourism Talk Tour presentation as a way to reach community members to inform, build, and involve our diverse local community about how tourism works for us all and how we all can contribute to making Guam a better place to live, work, and visit!

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