21st Ad Congress to pour up to P100 million into Subic economy

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT , Philippines  — The 21st Philippine Advertising Congress (PAC), which will be held at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC) on November 18-21, could fetch the local economy an income ranging from P60 million to P100 million.

The Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce (SBFCC), through its executive director Kenneth Peralta, placed a conservative revenue estimate from this year’s PAC at around P60-70 million.

However, the actual income could reach as high as P100 million, said SBMA administrator Armand Arreza, pointing out that the hotel industry in the Subic Bay Freeport and the neighboring Olongapo City would get the chunk of the proceeds.

The rest of the income, he said, would go to various industries like transportation, which would include vehicle rentals; food and beverage, including catering services; duty-free shops and other tourism establishments; as well as the services sector, including honoraria for event staff and volunteers.

Arreza based his calculation on expectations that about 10,000 people would be spending at least P10,000 each during their four-day stay here for the duration of the Ad Congress.

The projected arrivals, he said, included at least 3,500 actual delegates to the congress, plus family members who would tag along, the organizers and their staff, guests, performers, and walk-in visitors.

Moreover, there will also be the participants in the Araw Awards, which will serve as the culminating feature of the congress. Arreza said the awards night, which recognizes the best works in the advertising industry, normally draws another set of attendees.

“The 21st AdCon will be an early Christmas present for Subic Bay, Olongapo City, and even the contiguous areas of Bataan and Zambales,” said Arreza.

He added that the SBECC, which enabled the SBMA to host the attendance record-breaking Ad Congress in 2007, is being prepped up and should be ready anytime this week.

Local businesses, meanwhile, are working on their end to prepare hotels and restaurants for the PAC, which is considered as the local advertising industry’s version of the Oscar Awards, said SBFCC’s Peralta.

The SBFCC, a private, non-profit organization established in 1995 by business locators in this free port, has done the same in 2007’s installment of the advertising event.

Peralta, however, admitted that this year’s congress is, comparably “very, very challenging.”

“In 2007, we were given five months to prepare. This year? Barely three weeks,” said Peralta, noting the sudden shift of the congress venue from Baguio City to Subic because of the heavy damage sustained by roads leading to the original venue.

Peralta also noted that the SBMA workforce is working at a very impressive pace, impressing both the local businessmen and the 21st PAC organizing committee.