BACOLOD City – In a bid to preserve cultural and historical heritage, the Bacolod City Council has officially designated the City Hall site as a historical landmark, aligning with the provisions of the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009 (Republic Act 10066).
The declaration came during a regular session on Wednesday, August 21.
Located at the intersection of Luzuriaga and Araneta Streets, the site is known as the “Old Bacolod City Hall”. It houses the Fountain of Justice where the mansion of Don Jose Ruiz de Luzuriaga used to stand. It was where local forces led by General Aniceto Lacson and Juan Araneta accepted the surrender of Spanish forces under the command of Isidro De Castro, the Politico-Military Governor of Negros Occidental, and other officials in Negros Occidental after signing the “Acta de Capitulacion” on November 6, 1898.
The original L-shaped, three-story structure, erected in 1968 by then-Mayor Romeo G. Guanzon, encircles the former mansion of Don Jose Ruiz de Luzuriaga, further adding to the site’s historical narrative.
In conjunction with this recognition, the city has embarked on a substantial renovation of the 58-year-old building.
The groundbreaking ceremony held on August 6 marked the beginning of a P223 million project, funded through a P4.4-billion loan from the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), to transform the aging structure into a four-story edifice.
Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez emphasized the renovation’s role in constructing “iconic infrastructures” that integrate modern technologies to preserve locations of historical significance.
As stipulated in the resolution, this site must now be registered in the Philippine Registry of Cultural Property to ensure its preservation for future generations./PN
