BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines – The Bacolod City government will resume an aggressive marketing campaign to attract new investments post-COVID era in an effort to see the same level of dynamism of the local economy before the global pandemic struck, a press release from the Bacolod City PIO said.
Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia said the city economy saw its fastest growth ever with over 25,000 business registrants before the health crisis was declared.
This observation was shared by Leonardia in a radio forum this morning when he was a featured guest in a radio interview along with Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran and businessman Dan Atayde, a political neophyte who is running as congressman under the administration ticket.
The city’s strength is anchored on the fact that Bacolod had been recognized twice as the “Most Business-Friendly LGU” in the highly-urbanized city category in 2007 and 2021 by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, biggest and most prestigious business organization in the country; the “Most Livable City in the Philippines”, the “Most Competitive City in the Visayas”, both from the Department of Trade and Industry; the “Best Performing LGU in Western Visayas” from the Department of Interior and Local Government, and a recipient of the DILG’s Seal of Good Local Governance.
All the accolades and recognitions given to Bacolod City are anchored on good governance, Leonardia said.
ECONOMIC STIMULANT
For the immediate term, however, the city needs to see increased government spending in the infrastructure sector to give more jobs and create livelihood opportunities for Bacolodnons as one of the major thrusts of the city’s economic recovery plan.
Some of these local and national government-funded projects worth about P3 billion are already being implemented while others will start shortly, Leonardia disclosed.
The mayor was referring to the new Bacolod City College with an allocation of P350 million; the Bacolod Museum, whose P260 million budget was sourced out by Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri; the continued developmemt of the Bacolod Relocation Site, P350 million; the rehabilitation of the Libertad Public Marker, Burgos Public Market and Central Market with a P150 million appropriation from the Local Government Support Fund facilitated by Budget Secretary Wendell Avisado, and the Bacolod MassKara Coliseum, P800 million, among others.
All of these government spendings will boil down to employment opportunities for our beloved Bacolodnons, he added.
OPTIMISM
Leonardia’s optimism was shared by Familiaran, concurrent chair of the local IATF, saying that Bacolod’s recovery is imminent especially that the LGU saw a decline in daily COVID cases the last five days.
He expressed hopes that the trend continues.
But Leonardia was quick to remind Bacolodnons that while the cases are decreasing, Bacolodnons should not let their guard down because the COVID crisis is not over yet.
He renewed his call on the unvaccinated to get their jabs and those who had been fully inoculated to avail of booster shots so that they will have protection from the virus.
He also reminded residents to continue observing minimum health protocols.*
