• CHERYL G. CRUZ
Outgoing Bacolod Mayor Alfredo “Albee” Benitez assured his successor, incoming local chief executive Greg Gasataya, that he is “inheriting not a burden, but a city prepared for growth”.
In his third and final State of the City Address (SOCA) at the Bacolod Government Center grounds last night, June 25, Benitez said the city has a solid revenue base, and the mechanisms in place to keep it that way. “This is Bacolod today—competitive, rising, and ready to lead”.
He said that this year’s General Fund Budget of P4.4 billion is an all-time high. “And as Bacolod grows, so will our numbers – bigger and better than ever”.
“We attracted over P100 billion in investments, and created 30,000 jobs, a clear sign of investor confidence. Bacolod remains a place where you can work, live, and rest well—with affordable living, good schools, and accessible healthcare,” Benitez said.
He also listed gains in his three years as mayor, including the institutionalization of the flagship Bacolod Comprehensive Health Program (BacCHP), to make sure that, regardless of status in life, no Bacolodnon would be denied hospital care; the city becoming a pioneer in digital payment systems, and making use of QR codes to make governance protective and inclusive;
Strengthened systems to safeguard public funds; zero tolerance on corruption, abuse of power, and willful neglect of duty; crime prevention and maintenance of peace and order; well-made and well-maintained city roads and asphalt overlays; removal of spaghetti wires; installation of solar streetlights; the Yuhum housing program; making jobs more accessible and the skills more competitive; sustainability and mobility; and on cultural dynamism, noting that Bacolod’s tourism has not only recovered from the pandemic but has even grown significantly.
“Innovation, inclusivity, sustainability, mobility, and culture. These are not just values — they are our shared commitment to building a super city, together,” Benitez stressed. “Bacolod is now in a season of adopting, reinventing itself as a resilient, forward‑looking community that refuses to settle for ‘pwede na’.”
He also assured that his service to Bacolod will continue as member of the House of Representatives in the 20th Congress.
“As I take on a new role, I carry with me the same commitment to push for real, lasting change,” Benitez told SOCA audience online and onsite, including Gasataya, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran and members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, business people, several mayors, vice mayors, and councilors from neighboring towns and cities of Negros Occidental, and other guests.
He said his legislative priorities in Congress include the expanded skills training through the Bacolod City College; a data-driven, integrated traffic control law; long-term flood barriers and pump gates; stronger LGU waste-management systems;
Bigger budgets for anti-drug education and rehabilitation; reliable power and water oversight; nationwide rollout of BacCHP; and a national mandate for fully digital LGU frontline services, patterned after Bacolod’s success.
“These are the causes I will fight for, not just as your congressman, but as a fellow Bacolodnon, who believes in our continued progress,” Benitez stressed. | CGC
