• CHERYL G. CRUZ
Bacolod Mayor Alfredo “Albee” Benitez Tuesday admitted that he still has “a long way to get his programs and projects in place”.
Benitez said during a press conference Dec. 19 that since he assumed as mayor of Bacolod in July 2022 until now, it was just planning and preparing for the programs and projects to take off.
“It takes about a year and a half due to bureaucracy; it was just planning and formulating the programs. We still have a long way to get these programs in place, and we expect their full implementation in 2024,” the mayor said.
But he noted that social services and priority health programs, especially the Bacolod Comprehensive Health Program (BacCHP), have already started and trickled down to the barangays.
A flagship health program of the Benitez administration, BacCHP aims to enhance the delivery of healthcare services, specially targeting indigent Bacolodnons, who can avail of free admission to partner-hospitals, via their BacCHP card.
The city earlier said about 900 Bacolodnons have benefited from the program. Partner-hospitals include the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital, Riverside Medical Center Inc., Queen of Mercy, Bacolod Adventist Medical Center, and South Bacolod General Hospital & Medical Center.
Benitez also stressed that he will keep Bacolod a priority, amid speculations that he will run for other position in the 2025 elections. | CGC
