• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Construction of the P418-million expansion of the Bacolod-Silay Airport passenger terminal in Negros Occidental will begin next month, Deputy Speaker Bacolod City Lone District Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez announced on Friday, July 10.
Speaking during his State of the District Address at the SMX Convention Center in Bacolod City, Benitez said the funding has already been allocated for the airport terminal expansion, which aims to significantly improve passenger capacity and overall travel experience.
The project will increase the airport’s pre-departure seating capacity from 500 to 1,480 passengers, allowing the facility to accommodate the growing number of travelers.
Benitez reiterated his push for the proposed P380-million runway expansion, saying the project would enable the airport to accommodate larger aircraft and strengthen its potential to attract more international flights.
“Every transportation route that is improved means more efficient movement of people and goods, creating greater economic opportunities for Bacolodnons and opening more doors for tourism and trade,” Benitez said.
He added that enhanced transport infrastructure will further connect Bacolod to the rest of the country and the international market.
Apart from the airport improvements, Benitez said he continues to advocate for the completion of key infrastructure projects, including the Bacolod-Negros Occidental Economic Highway, the Bacolod Boundary Bypass Road, the Circumferential Road, the South Diversion Road, and road links leading to the airport, seaport, and major trade and industrial centers.
To ease traffic congestion, the lawmaker is also proposing the construction of flyovers at the intersections of Bacolod Circumferential Road and Burgos Avenue as well as Bacolod Circumferential Road and Alijis.
Benitez likewise announced plans to install more than 1,000 solar-powered streetlights along major highways and develop additional farm-to-market roads in the barangays of Granada, Vista Alegre, Tangub, and Alangilan to improve mobility and support economic activity.
Reflecting on his administration’s accomplishments, Benitez cited completed road expansion projects, new classrooms, initiatives promoting Bacolod’s food and culture, and partnerships that have generated opportunities for the city.
“These are meaningful milestones, but they are not the destination. We know there is still much work ahead,” he said.
Benitez emphasized that realizing his vision of transforming Bacolod into a “Super City” requires the collective effort of local governments, national agencies, the business sector, educators, healthcare workers, civil society organizations, and every Bacolodnon.
“We will keep building, keep improving, and keep bringing people together until the Super City we have envisioned is no longer just our aspiration, but our shared reality,” he said. | GPB
