• CHERYL G. CRUZ
Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Benitez confirmed yesterday that he already signed the Deed of Absolute Sale with Del Rio Realty and Development of Bacolod Inc., for the purchase of about 18 hectares of property in Barangay Granada, for P268.63 million.
Benitez was authorized by the Sangguniang Panlungsod Jan. 24 to sign the Deed to acquire 179,087 square meters of real property at P1,500 per square meter., for land banking and mixed use, including as relocation site.
The Bacolod Land Banking Committee has also recommended the purchase of the property of Kalipay Foundation in Brgy. Taculing, where a half-way house is located.
Benitez said an inspection was done recently by the Land Banking Committee and Councilor Celia Flor, chairperson of the SP Committee on Women, Gender, Family, and Childcare, and an appraisal is ongoing.
Another property in Barangay Singcang-Airport is also being eyed for acquisition, Councilor Thaddy Sayson, a member of the Land Banking Committee, told his colleagues during the SP session Jan. 24.
All these property purchases will be funded by the P4.4 billion loan of the city government with the Development Bank of the Philippines, with more than P1 billion earmarked for lot acquisition or land banking.
“The Del Rio property is the closest and adjacent to the existing relocation site of the City and its integration and consolidation to the City’s property maximizes its potential use if acquired,” Resolution 18 of the Land Banking Committee said.
Aside from the Del Rio property, the city also bought in October last year 74.75 hectares of the Ledesma Family properties in Barangay Granada, for P972 million, or at P1,300 per square meter.
The following month, Bacolod also purchased about 25 hectares of land in Barangay Felisa at P128.6 million, or P500 per square meter, for the expansion of the city’s sanitary landfill site. | CGC
