BAGUIO CITY—The country’s undisputed Summer Capital will host this year’s Advertising Summit, which is tentatively scheduled on Sept. 13 to 16 at the CAP Convention Center inside Camp John Hay and at the Baguio Country Club.
City Administrator Carlos M. Canilao met with officials of the Media Specialists Association of the Philippines led by Venus Navalta, and discussed the obligations of both parties to ensure the successful conduct of the event.
It will be incorporated as one of the major activities of the month-long celebration of the city’s Charter anniversary, Canilao said.
“We were made to understand that the organizers of this year’s Advertising Summit had decided to hold the prestigious event in Baguio City, that is why we are also preparing for the hosting of the said event considering that it will help in the aggressive promotion of the city that will boost its local economy,” he stressed.
Organizers have made the initial inspections on the proposed venues of the events that will be lined up for the Advertising Congress, as well as the potential accommodation facilities. They were convinced the city is ready to host the yearly event for the Philippine advertising industry, Canilao said.
The initial commitments of the local government to the organizers are the guaranteed security of the participants; exemption of the participants from Baguio’s number-coding traffic scheme; participation of small industry workers such as wood carvers; coffee growers during farmer’s market; cultural immersion and presentations from cultural groups in the city;
Provision of emergency volunteers and responders; availability of vehicles to be rented for the transportation of participants from their hotels to the seminar venues; organized city tours for participants; the placement of advertising banners; the availability of tents and parachutes for the exhibit area; support for various sports activities; and guaranteed participation of student volunteers, among others.
Canilao said holding the Advertising Summit in the city will be a big boost to Baguio’s tourism industry and overall economic growth, because of the expected influx of thousands of advertising industry stakeholders, who will be staying in the city for at least a week.
He assured Ad Summit organizers the local government will coordinate the participation of students from various universities and colleges, for them to be exposed to one of the most prestigious activities of the advertising industry. It will also give the city a promotional boost in the various forms of media.
Canilao appealed to the government and private sectors to support the preparations being done for the Advertising Congress, so that organizers of big events will consider the city as a possible venue for their future big events that will sustain the city’s tourism industry.