• CHERYL G. CRUZ
Camille Clarisse Co-Lao, daughter of retail magnate Lucio Co, represented him at his conferment as Adopted Son and Honorary Mayor of Bacolod City Feb. 10.
Accompanied by her husband, Michael Stephen Lao, the third of the four Co siblings received the framed copy of the resolution from Sangguniang Panlungsod members, led by Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, and Mayor Alfredo Benitez, during the special SP session Saturday morning.
The couple was then escorted to the City Mayor’s Office, where Mrs. Co-Lao signed, on behalf of her father, Executive Order 4 constituting the Bacolod Arts and Culture Council that will be in the forefront of managing the programs and projects…to enrich and further promote culture and arts in the highly-urbanized city.
Benitez told reporters that the self-made billionaire was not feeling well, so he asked his daughter to represent him during the conferment ceremony, which was one of the highlight events of the 19th Bacolaodiat Festival over the weekend.
The mayor, in his speech, invited Co and his family to make Bacolod their second home, noting the connection and the many investments that the mogul brought to the city, including the Bacolod Real Estate Development Corp. port facilities, Puregold, and the soon-to-open S&R Membership Shopping, among others.
“We welcome you very much to be part of the developments of the city and we’re looking forward to more investments,” Benitez told Co-Lao and her party, adding that Bacolod is “becoming a super city by having all of these business establishments and investments coming in”.
In the resolution, the SP said Co has played a pivotal role in investing in Bacolod, that contributed to the city’s economic growth and progress. “Co has brought significant contribution to the business and investment landscape of Bacolod and has led an exemplary yet low-keyed lifestyle, worthy of emulation of the future generation”. | CGC
