Guv not upset with AdCon loss

Friday, February 25, 2011

GOV. Gwendolyn Garcia didn't feel bad that Cebu did not get the nod of the organizers to host the 22nd Advertising Congress.

She congratulated Camarines Sur and said, “We should feel good for CamSur contrary to the pronouncement of some (of those) amongst our midst.”

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The governor was referring to former mayor Tomas Osmeña (Cebu City, south district), who said Cebu’s failure to win the bid is “embarrassing” and an insult to Cebu.

She said she was informed late Wednesday night by her chief of staff about the decision of the executive committee.

The organizers sent an email to her office and explained that the bidding was very tight.

In the end, the deciding factor that made an edge for the next province to host is its uniqueness and newness, which is “in synergy” with the congress theme about breaking through.

“It's okay, I did not get a heart attack,” she said in jest.

Can’t compete

Osmeña, though, felt strongly about Cebu’s failure to win the bid, saying it’s an insult to the name of Cebu.

“Nakakahiya (It’s embarrassing). It’s more of an insult. We put our names on the line and we lost,” he said.

Osmeña believes that Cebu had a better chance of winning in the bid to host the event had Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia not proposed to hold it at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC).

“You know, the AdCon is nothing but a junket. It’s like a big fiesta so why CICC? There is nothing there. There are no dining facilities; they don’t even know how to carry the food upstairs. The roofs are leaking and the air conditioners are not working well,” he said.

Like in 2005

If he had his way, Osmeña wants the event held at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino, just like in 2005.

However, it was Osmeña himself who said during the 19th Advertising Congress in November 2005 that he preferred other cities to host the event.

Osmeña further said the real purpose of the Ad Congress is “to sell the place” and that there is no need to sell Cebu because “everybody knows Cebu.”

Osmeña, the mayor that time, had said the only ones making money were the airlines and hotels.

For her part, City Councilor Margot Osmeña, who chairs the council’s committee on tourism, yesterday said the failure to host the congress is an opportunity lost.

“Of course (it’s an opportunity lost). I mean, why would we bid for it if we don’t think it will not benefit Cebu? But it’s their (organizers) option. We have been tried and tested so maybe they want to try something new,” the wife of the congressman said.

“We have to put new twists on things but without sacrificing our tradition. It’s like what’s new in old Cebu,” she said.

Oldest

Asked if there are some areas for Cebu to improve on as a host for the event, Governor Garcia said the province can't improve on its newness because “to start with, it is not new.”

“We are the oldest province in this entire country and we are not breaking through. We have broken through a long time ago being the top tourist destination of the country,” she told reporters.

She said Cebu had twice hosted the event and it may bid again, depending on the theme of the next congress.

She said Cebu is a favorite venue both for national and international conventions. She mentioned the events that are lined up, such as the East Asia Tourism Forum.

In his news conference yesterday, Mayor Michael Rama said he believes that Cebu’s failure to host the congress is not a loss, since the City has always been ready to host the event.

He said, however, that there are some areas that need to be improved, including infrastructure

Cebu was short-listed among the places for possible venues, alongside Baguio City and CamSur.

Around 2,000 to 4,000 participants from the advertising industry will join the congress in November.