Cebu loses AdCon bid to CamSur

MANILA, Philippines - The Province and the City of Cebu lost their bid to host the 2011 Advertising Congress in November to Camarines Sur.

Representing Cebu City, Anna Conejero, managing director of Graphic FX Advertising and Design, confirmed that Camarines Sur got the most votes.

But the report has not caused much displeasure among Capitol officials.

“We win lots, lose some. But come to think of it, with what Cebu and the Cebuanos have to offer, it is their (Ad Congress) loss, not ours,” said Capitol spokesperson and consultant Rory Jon Sepulveda.

Provincial Board Member Agnes Magpale said that when the facts were presented to them that Ad Congress delegates would reach about 9,000, she was confident that Cebu’s 12,400 rooms would be the answer.

“Pero okay lang, we have MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions), EATOF (East Asia Tourism Forum), etc. We should continue to give our best,” Magpale said.

Magpale was with Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and Conejero in Manila last week to present the bid.

The Advertising Board treated the bid of Cebu Province and Cebu City as one.

The province is offering the Cebu International Convention Center as venue of the congress. The CICC can accommodate at least 3,000 delegates as proven during the 12th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit in 2007.

Cebu City can take care of the delegates’ accommodations since hotels are mostly located in its jurisdiction.

Magpale, who heads the Provincial Board committee on tourism, earlier said Cebu has the edge over Camarines Sur in terms of accessibility and accommodation.

The event organizers gave importance to access and infrastructure. One requirement, for example, is a plenary hall that can accommodate up to 4,000 delegates.

Cebu is equipped with the needed infrastructures, convention centers, and hotel rooms. Likewise, there is so much for the delegates to experience like natural heritage, adventure sites, the sea, the mountains and the “incomparable Cebuano hospitality”.

The Ad Congress in 2005 was held in the Waterfront Hotel in Lahug, Cebu City, with activities and parties spread out in various hotels, resorts and entertainment nightspots.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said that losing the Ad Congress bid is not a loss at all.

“It’s not to be taken as our loss. No matter what the outcome is, they know that we offered our place because we are always ready,” Rama said.

But the mayor said that he also wants to know why Cebu was not chosen so they may be able to prepare for the bid next year. “We want to know why it was not Cebu so we can prepare later on, if ever,” he said. — Jessica Ann R. Pareja/BRP (FREEMAN)