This year’s Supply Chain Immersion, held across three days en route to, and in, Iloilo City, provided its over 60 delegates a truly immersive experience, with talks, workshops, and tours providing them an end-to-end view of supply chain management, not just in principle but also in practice in the real world.

The event kicked off before departure from Manila early on 12 May, as participants gathered at the Manila North Harbor’s passenger terminal to get to know each other, as well as a welcome from Richard Barclay, CEO of one of the event’s sponsors, Manila North Harbour Port Inc.

Then it was off to MV St. Michael the Archangel, the largest boat in 2GO’s passenger fleet, where delegates, representing 19 companies, participated in a series of seminars and workshops offering a broad look at supply chain management, as well as real-life solutions to different applications. Talks from Johnson & Johnson’s Clarisse Castillo. SCMAP’s Norman Adriano, United Laboratories’ Nestor Felicio and Roselie Tubeo, and XVC Logistics’ Cora Curay were anchored by a beer game that proved to be exciting, if not a bit frantic, for participants.

The schedule across the three days were jam-packed. Upon the vessel’s arrival in Iloilo on the morning of 13 May, delegates were treated to a warm Dinagyang welcome, before going on a tour of the city’s ports with the help of the Philippine Ports Authority, as well as a visit to the facilities of Philippine Foremost Milling Corporation, a major manufacturer of flour and animal feeds based in the region, as well as the Iloilo Business Park, a new township being developed at the site of the old Iloilo Airport.

In the afternoon, the first ever Supply Chain Perspective was held at the Days Hotel, where the Manila-based participants got to network with their counterparts in Iloilo and across the Visayas. Iloilo City mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog graced the event, presenting his government’s development thrusts for the city as it takes advantage of the recent economic and investment boom. Philippine Foremost’s Engr. Terence Uygongco, Rustan Supercenters’ Christine Pardiñas and REID Foundation’s Ronilo Balbieran also spoke, looking at supply chain trends and opportunities from national and regional perspectives. (More on this event here.)

There were, of course, many opportunities for the delegates to network and also kick back. Apart from the much-anticipated night of drinks and dancing on board MV St. Michael the Archangel, there was also a tour of Iloilo’s landmarks on 14 May, where delegates got to see the city’s heritage churches and houses, and also got to try (and bring home) some of its delicacies, such as biscocho, cream horn and, from an island away, the famed mangoes of Guimaras.

There were also chances to eat at some of the city’s popular restaurants: the Summer House at the Iloilo Midtown Hotel, and just before flying out, Tatoy’s Manokan and Seafoods near the new Iloilo International Airport at Cabatuan.

This year’s Supply Chain Immersion proved to be truly immersive, with the delegates returning home with new insights into the industry they work in – and, of course, new contacts and, perhaps, a bunch of mangoes, too.

This year’s event was sponsored by Manila North Harbour Port Inc. and supported by the 2GO Group. We would also like to thank the Iloilo Business Club, the Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation and the Department of Tourism for their invaluable assistance.

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