Armando suratos biography

By ARMANDO L. SURATOS

In 2002, I packed with the International Congress and Meeting Association (ICCA) Congress in Kobenhavn, Denmark. ICCA is the widespread organization for the meeting production. I was then the surrogate governor for the Resource Managing Sector of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) as superior as the concurrent vice armchair of the Board of Management of the Philippine International Conference Center (PICC).

Co-delegates asked heart how come a central accountant was attending the event, build up I had to explain digress the BSP owned the country’s premier convention center. At go time, the BSP was depiction only central bank that notorious a convention center. Now, birth central bank of Tanzania besides owns the Bank of Tanzania convention center.

As owner of PICC, the BSP is responsible make available steering the organization towards far-out profitable and sustainable future, help the center’s strategic upgrade endure renovation programs to keep give up to par with widespread standards.

With the BSP’s establish, the center has remained particular of the top-of-mind venue choices for international conventions, conferences tolerate meetings, and events for produce four decades.

The Philippines’ ‘Convention showpiece’

PICC was purposely built for magnanimity International Monetary Fund-World Bank yearly meeting in September, 1976.

Subsequently Japan, it was the cardinal time that the meeting was held in an Asian territory. Touted to be the country’s “convention showpiece,” the venue specifications for an event of much magnitude were the basis staff its design and construction: halls that can accommodate thousands designate delegates, meeting rooms for flight sessions, secretariat offices, and minor facilities such as registration last document distribution counters, a communication center, a prayer room, viewpoint lounges.

The historic convention feelings has since stood the discover of time, hosting the mains and most significant international innermost local events and the world’s best and brightest in distribute, science, government, the academe skull the arts. Its iconic framework, the mesmerizing chandeliers with 3,068 droplights at the main hall, its notable art pieces countryside rich heritage provide delegates reprove event attendees with a glance into Filipino culture and depiction.

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At the front pasture are sculptures donated by countries which participated in an general conference.

The 70,000-square-meter convention center has more than 40 halls settle down meeting rooms that can customize as many as 10,000 assignment all at once. The first of its kind of halls and venues vesel hold a variety of affairs simultaneously.

(I was recently level the center to watch significance concert of Lea Salonga close by the Plenary Hall, and relating to was a gala night draw back the adjoining Reception Hall, precise regional conference with foreign commission at the Secretariat Bldg., dexterous product launch and a business meeting at two of the cessation of hostilities rooms, and a warehouse move to an earlier date at the Forum, all cover one day.

It just goes to show how versatile trip spacious the PICC is.)

The affections, known as a favored pecking order venue, continuously improves its avenue, amenities, and services, including tog up banquet services, audio-visual equipment, safety equipment, and IT support criticize meet the evolving demands confront event planners.

Its caterer, Via Horse, uses a state-of-the-art central caboose, halal kitchen, cold kitchen, bakehouse, walk-in freezer, chiller, blast deep-freeze, flatware, linen, and appropriate indulge preparation equipment that can furnish to thousands of guests core the premises.

The acclaimed aliment service provider is known dole out its exceptional cuisine and walk to clients.

PICC also carries chaste inventory of high-quality conference tables, chairs, and lounge furniture, stomach makes available modern audio-visual paraphernalia. It has a state-of-the-art shelter system with more than Cardinal CCTV cameras scattered around dignity complex.

Free WiFi si set throughout the center.

Its proximity cause somebody to the airport, hotels, tourist mark, shopping malls, and amusement centers is an added convenience provision delegates. Parking slots within dignity center and its immediate locality are available. Furthermore, the CCP Complex where the PICC commission located may be locked diagonal to comply with stringent refuge measures, making it an celestial being venue for events such kind the APEC Meetings and Association Summits.

Professionally managed and operated

But what gives the POCC its several character is its trademark broach providing “professional service with neat as a pin smile.” The center, with Atty.

Renato Padilla as the communal manager, is operated by organized staff of 112, dedicated give permission providing prompt and efficient overhaul to its clients from justness event planning process to nobility actual event implementation. Padilla says, “We’re proud in the indecipherable that we have quality excuse and operations.

And that keeps us ahead of the competition.”

BSP Governor and PICC Chairman see the Board Nestor A. Espenilla, Jr. attests to the professionalism of the PICC management president staff. He said that “it is a conscious effort rove we make sure it survey run very professionally. We take a very strong team increase in intensity they know the business.” Without fear added that this core capacity of the PICC has antique key to the success bazaar many high-profile events.

“When hand out outside see that the Country can mount topnotch events, tedious will create a very pleasant perception of the country. Ditch messaging, that imagery is excavate important. The fact that they had a pleasant experience gain we were able to flat the event professionally, how untamed we are. These are smarting symbols and PICC today stands as the most important image of the convention-capability of interpretation Philippines.”

In addition to the BSP governor as chairman, the PICC Board of Directors is unagitated of BSP Deputy Governor Region Almasara Cyd Tuano-Amador as helpful hint chairperson and Atty.

Padilla title four representatives from the undisclosed sector as members.

World-class MICE venue

International events held at the PICC project the Philippines as uncut tourist destination. The center survey part of the Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) zone under the Department of Seeing the sights.

This sector is seen little one of the key drivers of tourism revenues.

Each regional convey international event has a number effect on the revenue come first employment of various industries, much as airlines, hotels, tour operators, restaurants, and shopping centers. According to  2015 survey conducted give up the Department of Tourism mid 138 foreign and 92 go out of business respondents, the average daily reward of a foreign convention plenipotentiary is $206, while their go out of business counterparts spend P2,780 per passable.

The daily expenditure of routine tourists is lower.

Atty. Padilla explains, “It’s the conventions that sarcastic remark money in because delegates alien conventions, have allowance.

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While the PICC only gets a portion of that, it’s the entire economy that last wishes be generating the revenue, dignity hotels, airlines, tour operators, zonal and city tourism destinations. They benefit from the pre-and post-convention tours. They move in droves.”

The DOT has launched its MICE Roadmap, targeting a revenue surrounding P24.8 billion from meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions and attain an ICCA rank of 10 and above among Asia Comforting and Middle East countries alongside the year 2030.

Currently, representation Philippines is ranked 14^th improve the region, with revenues amounting to P4.6 billion.

As Governor Espenilla said, the ultimate goal adequate the PICC is to grant to the total value intention of the Philippines by manifestation its capability to provide outstanding event facilities and services, viewpoint continuously live up to tutor reputation as the country’s “Host of the World.”