Hosting of 2009 ‘Ad Congress’ seen to put city into map anew

The Philippine Advertising Congress will be back in its home in 2009 in time for the city’s celebration of its centennial anniversary.

The staging of the Ad Congress would be a memorable event and reunion for the pillars of the Advertising Board of the Philippines, who have lot of memories to share about this mountain resort city.

City mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. confirmed on Thursday afternoon that the Ad Congress officers, headed by its honorary chair Jaime Zobel de Ayala, were convinced to have the biggest conference back in the city after hosting it last in November 2003.

The CAP-John Hay Convention Center was the venue of the 18th Ad Congress in 2003.

“We are very glad that the Advertising Congress is back again in Baguio and it would be memorable to all of us because we are celebrating our centenary,” said Bautista in a telephone interview.

The mayor said that it was three weeks ago when he delivered a speech which finally convinced Ad Congress officials.

Bautista was with councilors Antonio Tabora Jr., Richard Cariño, and Perlita Chan-Rondez together with former Baguio City Police Office director S/Supt. Moises Guevarra and Anthony De Leon, representing the Baguio Tourism Council and the Hotels and Restaurants Association of Baguio.

“I informed the panel that Baguio is celebrating its centennial anniversary and I told them that it would be very memorable if the Ad Congress will be part of the historic event in our city,” Bautista said.

The mayor said that efforts are being done so that officials will submit the scheduled events for the Ad Congress in 2009 so that it will be incorporated as part of the lined up events of the centennial anniversary.

Baguio marks its centennial anniversary on Sept. 1, 2009 and there will be major events lined up towards the end of 2009.