Davao City tightens security measures for MiceCon 2023


Safe in Davao City (Photo: Rhonson Ng)


AS Davao City hosts the 2023 Philippine Meetings, Incentive Travel, Conventions, Exhibitions Conference (MiceCon), the city’s security cluster is set to deploy 15,000 personnel to maintain peace and order during the event. 

MiceCon 2023, set on March 1 to 3, is the country’s premier gathering for professionals in the MICE industry. 

Davao City Public Safety and Security Office Head Col. Angel Sumagaysay said personnel from the Davao City Police Office and other security and safety clusters of the city have been preparing double for this major city event. 

“We are expanding our security coverage, this number is even bigger than what we had pre-pandemic and the Kadayawan festival last year. As MiceCon Davao also falls during the Araw ng Dabaw celebration, we are expecting more events,” he added. 

Sumagaysay said locals and tourists can expect to see increased visibility of security personnel during the whole duration of the conference. The MiceCon2023 also falls during the month-long celebration of the 86th Araw Ng Dabaw. 

MICECon Davao organizing committee meeting with the Davao City security cluster, headed by Public Safety & Security Office P. Col. Angel Sumagaysay & Maj. Francis Suan, President of Tourism Security Professionals Assoc of Davao

For delegates and visitors who want to explore beyond the city, Sumagaysay said the city’s security cluster is coordinating closely with the Police Regional Office in Davao and the 10th Infantry Division to secure safety and peaceful experience for visitors. 

Hailed as one of the safest cities in the world, Davao City has cemented this title with its state-of-the-art Public Safety and Security Command Center, the first and only of its kind in the Philippines. 

The center is home to the city’s 911 Emergency Response System, which provides emergency medical assistance, urban search and rescue, fire auxiliary services, and K9. This makes Davao City as the only city outside the United States and Canada to have this emergency response capacity. What’s even better is the city government provides the service for free. 

The multi-million PSSCC facility serves as the nerve center for 173 Security Cameras installed in strategic areas in the city, including the entry and exit points to and from the city and its populated areas. Also, seventeen cameras monitor the traffic at the major road intersections in the city. 

All these were also made possible because of the effective local governance and coordination among security and safety agencies. Several regulations, policies, and ordinances are also being implemented in the city to make it safe, livable, and progressive. In July 2022, the Police Regional Office in Davao (PRO-Davao) reported decreased crime incidents by 5.8 percent compared to the previous year. 

The city is also conducting regular security and cluster simulation exercises for bomb-throwing, shooting, and hostage-taking. 

“We are in a constant effort to make this city safe for our locals and tourists. We always do these exercises and coordination because we want to be ready when big events and conferences are being held in the city, may it be government or private-led events,” Sumagaysay shared. 

He underscored that the safety and peace situation in the city is everyone’s concern. 

“We encourage all the residents and even the tourists and visitors to help us keep the city safe,” Sumagaysay added. 


Davao MICECON 2023 would like to extend its gratitude to the following government offices and stakeholders: City Government of Davao, DOT Region XI, Tourism Promotions Board, Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao, Dusit D2 Hotel, SM Lanang Premier, Royal Mandaya Hotel, Acacia Hotel, Rogen Inn, Seda Abreeza Hotel, The Ritz at Garden Oases, Pearl Farm Beach Resort, Discovery Samal, Agriya, Villa Margarita, Davao Region Cacao Council, Mr & Mrs B, Habi at Kape, Davao Region Coffee Council, Annipie Bakery Cafe, Maan’s Bakeshop, and the Zegen Management Group.

(PR)