BACOLOD City – The city government plans to build three new major public markets for a combined construction cost of P1.5 billion to replace the old Burgos, Central and Libertad markets.
Councilor Celia Flor, chairperson of the committee on market in the Sangguniang Panlungsod, said Mayor Alfredo Benitez had a meeting on Aug. 23 with the City Engineering Office and officers of the public market vendors.
Each proposed new three-storey public market will cost around P500 million.
The Burgos, Central and Libertad markets are currently undergoing rehabilitation at P50 million each from the national government.
The City Legal Office will look into the contract for the rehabilitation of the Central market; progress is slow at only four percent, according to Flor.
Work on the Burgos and Libertad public markets, on the other hand, are nearing completion.
A dissatisfied city government may rescind its contract with contractor Silver Dragon for the Central market rehab.
Flor said the repair in the Central market must end by Dec. 31, 2022 or the fund intended for the rehabilitation would revert to the Department of Budget and Management.
According to the councilor, Mayor Benitez prefers to build new markets instead of repairing the old ones./PN
