Baguio ready to host Ad Congress

AFTER bitter negotiations years ago, the mountain city is willing and capable of hosting the 2017 Philippine Advertising Congress

Mayor Mauricio Domogan said the city has hosted the ad congress in the past and can very well host it anew if the opportunity presents itself.

Domogan said he is set to meet with the organizers but declined the invitation due to conflict in schedules.

In 2009, organizers of the 21st Philippine Advertising Congress pulled out and choose to hold the event elsewhere, after typhoon Pepeng ravaged the region, depriving the city of much-needed revenue for its

rehabilitation efforts.

The Advertising Board, organizer of the annual gathering of the country’s advertising industry, has canceled hotel reservations, even though the venues for the events were ready and waiting and none were affected by the typhoon.

The Congress at that time was expected to bring over 5,000 participants to the mountain resort, including millions of pesos worth of hotel reservations for both the Camp John Hay Manor and the Baguio Country Club which were lost due to the venue change.

After the cancellation of the ad board, the Philippine Mining Safety and Environment Aassociation renewed their support to the city saying despite the typhoon aftermath, Baguio was still the best place to hold the event, bringing in thousands to see the beauty of the city after one of the most devastating typhoons to hit the Summer Capital.

PMSEA has since staged their annual gathering in the city and marks the start of the peak season in November.

Baguio hosted the Ad Congress in 2003 at the then newly built CAP Convention Center in Camp John Hay. Maria Elena Catajan