Trade conventions prove it is business as usual in Davao

The world may be in recession but it is business as usual in Davao City as conventions and conferences are being held after another, the latest of which is the three-day Davao Trade Expo (DATE) which opened Thursday, September 17, 2009.
Just last month, the city hosted three big conferences namely the Mindanao Trade Expo, the ICT Summit and the Mindanao Tourism Expo which were attended by thousands of domestic and international visitors.
DATE, which is considered as one of the biggest trade events in Mindanao, is not only a trade fair that promotes Mindanao’s products. It is also a valuable venue for those who are seeking employment and business opportunities.
“We are currently facing tough times due to the financial crisis (but) let us not allow the crisis to overcome us, let’s do business as usual in Davao City,” said Atty. Domingo Duerme, Senior Assistant Vice President for Mindanao Sales of Philippine Airlines, during the opening of DATE. Duerme is also a former DATE chair.
Duerme said the global crisis has resulted to a slow down in tourism and a lesser demand for export. Under this scenario, he said, “it is not easy to gather sponsors and exhibitors especially when all businesses are on cost management and preparing for more stormy days to come.”
But despite the odds, he said, “we are again gathered today and striving hard to sustain the seeds planted for DATE some eleven years ago.”
Duerme challenged Mindanao’s business community to “bind ourselves together and push for business growth.” He urged the business sector and the community as well to take this event as an opportunity to meet and expand their networks and markets.
“You can use this event to meet potential partners and clients by showcasing the best of your products and services,” he said, adding that Mindanao businesses should also take advantage of the ongoing seminars and trainings to increase the potential of their businesses.
DATE has managed to change with the times. Instead of being just a venue for showcasing Mindanao products, it has now included a Jobs Fair primarily designed to help the unemployed and the new graduates find employment opportunities.
“Focusing on employment is one way of cushioning the economic crisis,” said Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (DCCCII) president Simeon Marfori.
Thousands of job seekers packed the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Thursday, hoping to get one of the almost 2000 domestic and foreign job opportunities available during the job fair which featured 45 employers.
Among the job vacancies featured during the DATE Jobs Fair were in the areas of overseas employment, information technology and health.
As assured by DATE Chair Dr. Maria Lourdes Monteverde, most of the applicants have been hired directly considering the Department of Labor and Employment’s prohibition on manpower pooling.
One of the highlights of DATE is the revival of the Davao Region Business Conference which was held last Saturday. Marfori said the conference was last staged in 2006 and its resurgence was highly welcomed by the business sector.
Members of the Federation of the Davao Region Chambers of Commerce led by Marfori signed the multilateral agreement in developing the “One Davao. One Progress” during the conference.