BACOLOD City – The city government is set to implement over P2 billion worth of major projects this year to usher in the “golden decade of infrastructure,” according to Mayor Evelio Leonardia.
“We want the growth and development of Bacolod to accelerate, to surge ahead. We would like to see Bacolod zoom in this decade,” Leonardia said on Monday.
He added the construction of a 10,000-seater Bacolod MassKara Coliseum worth P800 million and the P163 million worth museum-auditorium on the land donated by the Yanson family in Barangay Tangub – is expected to start in the first quarter.
“This is going to be a golden decade of infrastructure in Bacolod. For the first-time ever, the city itself is set to implement more than P2 billion worth of projects. This is made possible because of the loan we obtained from the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP),” Leonardia said.
In August last year, Leonardia and DBP Chairman of the Board Alberto Romulo signed the agreement for the P1.7-billion loan that will fund the city’s four “big-ticket” projects.
Aside from building the coliseum, the city government is also implementing the P350-million development of Progreso Village Relocation Site; P350-million Bacolod City College Site Development and Facilities; and P200-million construction of roads and bridges.
Leonardia said the P150 million in local fund will also be allocated for the concreting of roads, following the demolition of illegal structures in this city.
“In 2006, we said the Government Center was the (city’s) biggest (infrastructure project) ever. In 2020, we proclaim that the coliseum of P800 million, will now be on record the biggest ever,” he added.
Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri was facilitating the release of the national government funding for the museum-auditorium, which he considers as his legacy project for the city.(With a report from PNA/PN)
