• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
S&R Membership Shopping yesterday opened its doors to shoppers in Bacolod City, following the inauguration ceremony led by its president Anthony Sy, chairman Lucio Co’s wife Susan Co, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, and BREDCO president John Alonte and director Willy Au.
S&R Bacolod is the company’s 27th store in the country.
Sy lauded Benitez for his dedication to fostering economic growth and enhancing the well-being of its residents, describing it as truly commendable.
“Your leadership exemplifies the spirit of pro business and community service, and we are privileged to be part of a city that values and nurtures such principle,” Sy said in his speech.
S&R Bacolod employs 212 regular employees, many of them Bacolod residents.
Benitez said he is glad that some S&R employees from Bacolod City, who previously worked in other S&R outlets, have been given a chance to come home.
“That is exactly what we want to do. We want to bring back our people to Bacolod City so that they can work here,” the mayor said.
Describing the opening of S&R in Bacolod City as a historic event, Benitez said “it makes Bacolod City so happy to have S&R.”
Its entry is “one of our driving forces in economic development, which is consumer consumption,” he added.
Benitez said he told Sy that Bacolod is experiencing a tremendous growth since job placements and positions availability are further increasing.
“Thousands of job opportunities are available in job fairs, either every quarter or every two months of the year, because of the opportunities coming and knocking on the door of Bacolod City,” he added. | GB
