‘Sara key person in getting 2013 Ad Congress’

Thursday, January 5, 2012

FOR Department of Tourism-Davao Region (DOT 11) director Arturo Boncato Jr., Davao City is more than ready to host the Philippine Advertising Congress.

In fact, Boncato said, bagging hosting rights for the biennial Ad Congress is long overdue for Davao City, which has long lobbied to bring here the highly anticipated gathering of the country's top business, advertising and media companies.

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Boncato believes that if there's somebody who can pull it off, it would be Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte.

"The mayor is the only person that can make that happen for us," he said Wednesday.

Boncato said Davao City already has the facilities to host the big event. The opening of three more hotels and a convention center in the city in two years time will give Davao an added boost in its desire to host the Ad Congress in 2013.

Earlier, City Hall vowed to get the Ad Congress next year with Duterte expressing her desire to really nail this one next time.

"It is the dream of Davao City to host the Ad Congress," Duterte said.

Davao City Investment Promotions Center (DCIPC) officer-in-charge Jason Magnaye even boasted to get the hosting rights by next year.

Should Davao wins hosting rights for the 2013 Ad Congress, it will nail two major events next year after earlier getting the Philippine Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing and Exhibitions or Mice Conference in August of 2013.

The Mice Conference is a gathering of event organizers not only coming from the Philippines but also abroad.