BACOLOD City – The implementation of car-free Sundays in this city will be extended for two more months, or until August this year.
Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said he will issue an executive order (EO) for this.
The extension, he said, would also give time for Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) to approve the proposed ordinance which would institutionalize the said program.
The city mayor added that the implementation of car-free Sundays last month has been successful.
The initiative, launched on June 9, followed Executive Order No. 035 signed by Mayor Benitez on May 28, designating every Sunday from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. this month as car-free.
The time was later adjusted from 4 a.m. until 8 a.m.
The 1.2-kilometer stretch of Lacson Street, from Cottage Road to Ramos Street (South Capitol Road to B.S. Aquino Drive), is closed to all motorized public and private vehicles during these hours.
The SP had passed the first reading of a proposed ordinance for car-free Sundays in Bacolod City. The measure aims to protect the environment, promote good air quality, raise public awareness of sustainable travel modes, and encourage physical activity among residents.
Earlier, Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry praised the program, highlighting its benefits for reducing pollution and creating opportunities for local businesses./PN
