Mayor Inday Sara forms MICECON 2022 Execom

Outgoing Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte has formed the organizing committee for the upcoming Meetings, Incentives, Travel, Conventions, and Exhibition (MICE) Convention 2022 via Executive Order (EO) No. 27, Series of 2022, signed on June 20, 2022.

Mayor Duterte, who will assume her post as the 15th Vice President of the Philippines at noon on June 30, 2022, said, “In order to help ensure the success of the City’s hosting of the MICECON 2022 and to provide for the smooth coordination between the host city and the Department of Tourism – Central Office, there is a need to constitute, organize and create the planning, implementation, and monitoring of the MICECON 2022.”

EO 27, known as “An Order Creating The Organizing Committee of the Meetings, Incentives, Travel, Conventions, and Exhibition (MICE) Convention 2022 And For Other Purposes,” states that the Davao City Task Force Covid Recovery Cluster has identified the city’s MICECON 2022 hosting as one of the programs that will revive tourism and other value chain economic activities in the city.

The Department of Tourism has earlier stipulated in its MICECON Bid Specification Document that the host destination is required to form an organizing committee that shall oversee the planning and implementation of the MICECON 2022.

The mayor added, “It is (in) the best interest of the City of Davao to enlist the support and participation of the private sector in the planning and execution of the conference activities in order to fully maximize the benefits that the city anticipates to enjoy from the hosting opportunity.”

However, she underscored the strict observance and compliance to COVID-19 protocols and the minimum public health standards (MPHS), such as the proper wearing of face masks.

The MICECON 2022 Execom is composed of the city mayor as chairperson, Davao Tourism Association (DATA) Executive Vice President Kennedy V. Kapulong as co-chairperson, and the city administrator as the vice-chairperson for the local government.

The members include the Secretariat, which will consist of Anna Victoria Q. Magnaye, a partner of Professional Convention Organizer (PCO) Zegen Management Group Co. and the officer-in-charge of the Davao City Tourism Operations Office (DCTOO); Attendance Promotions – Joji Ilagan International Schools Chief Operating Officer Nicole Niña H. Ledesma, DOT regional director, and Sangguniang Panlungsod Tourism and Beautification Committee chairperson; Customer Advisory Council Arrangements/Speakers and Speakers’ Arrangement – Davao Association of Tourism Operators (DATO) President Pia Lourdes P. Montana;

Speakers’ Tour –  National Association of Independent Travel Agencies (NAJTAS) President Christine Joy T. Aliño; Airport Reception and Transportation – Davao City Chamber of Commerce (DCCCII) Board Land Transportation Chairperson Capt. Ronald Anthony C. Go and Davao Travel Agencies Association (DTAA) President Ruth G. Velasco; Pre— Conference Activities – JIIS Tourism Assistant Professor II  Anne Margaret M. Pelingon; Accommodations –  Hotel & Resort Sales and Marketing Association (HRSMA) President Jennifer R. Romero; MICE Marketplace – SMX Convention Center Senior Branch Manager Daphne Jezelle G. Alojado and Invex Philippines Manager Maria Rochelle Christina F. Porras;

Socials / Food & Beverages – PCO representative Mary Ann M. Montemayor and Zegen Management Group Co. Partner Candice R. Protasio; Public Relations & Publicity – City Information officer-in-charge, SunStar Davao Columnist Jinggoy I. Salvador, and Mindanao Times Columnist Ian Ray C. Garcia; Ways and Means – DATA President Cherry Faye B. Al-ag, DCCCII President Dr. Maria Lourdes G. Monteverde, Tourism and Hospitality in the Regional Development Council Representative Arturo M. Milan, Tourist Transport Providers Holiday Group of Companies President Gene Bangayan, and ArTourist Media Tourism and Marketing Communications Consultant Arturo P. Boncato, Jr; 

Safety and Security – Davao City Public Safety and Security head,  Tourism Security Professionals Association of Davao, Inc. President Maj. Francis S. Suan, AFP, Ret; and Finance – City Budget Officer.

The MICECON 2022 is mandated to ensure the host city’s compliance with all its responsibilities as contained in any agreement validly entered into; provide coordinative support with the Department of Tourism – Central Office to ensure the delivery of all the tasks necessary for the successful staging of MICECON 2022; encourage private sector participation in the staging of all the conference events and sub-activities; find ways and means to support the logistical requirements due from the host city; and perform such other acts which are necessary to effectively and meaningfully carry out the mandated functions of the committee.

The Secretariat shall be responsible for the filing of records, coordination with all the partner agencies, facilitating meetings, and ensuring the organization of all forged partnerships related to the preparations, execution and post-evaluation of the city’s hosting of the MICECON 2022.

“All departments and offices of the City Government of Davao are enjoined to provide necessary technical and administrative support to the Organizing Committee and coordinate the efficient implementation of all its policies and directives,” the EO provides.

MICECON 2022’s funding shall in part be sourced from the budget to be provided by the City Government of Davao and the Department of Tourism, as well as private sponsorships through the Davao Tourism Association.

Check the full provisions of EO 27, Series of 2022 at https://bit.ly/3tXYljt. CIO