The recently concluded Supply Chain Immersion saw participants see the whole supply chain from end-to-end, with a mix of talks on various supply chain concerns as well as a tour of various stakeholders in the Philippine sugar industry.

Through the exploration of Bacolod and its surrounding cities, delegates were also able to see the impact of the industry on its stakeholders and residents, and how new issues are being addressed to ensure quality of life remains high.

The event kicked off on 17 May on board MV St. Michael the Archangel, traveling from Manila to Bacolod via Iloilo. There, delegates representing twenty companies from manufacturing, retail and logistics services took part in talks and workshops on supply chain collaboration, demand planning, transport management and new technologies. Leading the talks were URC Flour’s Dario Arive Jr., Personal Collections’ Alipio Bernardo IV, DHL Supply Chain’s Scott Gerrie and XVC Logistics’ Carlo Curay.

Upon arrival in Bacolod – where delegates were welcomed by Masskara dancers – it was off to a tour of the facilities of Central Azucarera de La Carlota and Roxol Bioenergy, a sugar mill and ethanol producer, respectively. The tour was personally led by Roxas Holdings’ Bimsy Mapa, with help from his team, who showed not just the process of sugar manufacturing, but also the challenges the industry faces in light of economic trends and new technologies.

Delegates were also able to explore the sights, tastes and sounds of Bacolod, with the help of tour guides Cidni Mapa and Xyrielle Deala, helping the delegates see not just the places to go to in Bacolod, but also understand how the sugar trade has shaped life in the province.

There was, of course, a lot of time for fellowship, both on board MV St. Michael the Archangel as well as in Bacolod

Supply Chain Immersion is SCMAP’s unique summer event which puts one in the middle of supply chain as it happens. Previous years saw visits to Iloilo and the Clark/Subic corridor. This year’s event is its first solo visit in Bacolod, and its first visit in 21 years.

We would like to thank 2GO Travel for their invaluable support.