- CHERYL G. CRUZ
Three multi-billion peso proposed projects in Bacolod City were presented at the 8th Belt and Road Summit at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai, Hong Kong last week.
These include the Bacolod Mass Housing Project, with an estimated cost of P11.6 billion, and aims to build an initial 10,000 housing units “on lands dedicated to the government’s housing program to provide proper shelter to every Bacolodnon”;
The Metro Bacolod Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) System, worth P10 billion, and includes land acquisition for the common depot and terminal, land improvements and structures, station facilities, buses, and other miscellaneous items, including working capital, and;
The Bacolod Coastal Expressway, with estimated project cost of P30 billion, and aims to provide the main route for heavy cargo trucks that will traverse Bacolod’s two major ports – Bredco and Banago.
It will also be utilized as an alternate route for other vehicles plying along the coastal barangays to get to seaports, decongesting traffic along the city’s main roads, as per the project brief presented by Dr. Frances Mae Llamas of the city’s Local Economic Development and Investment Promotions Office.
The proposed date of implementation of the mass housing proposal is from 2024-2028, while the two other projects are eyed in 2025.
Llamas also presented the status of the Panay River Basin Integrated Development Project, on behalf of Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Benitez, who is the chairperson of the Western Visayas Regional Development Council.
She told the Negros NOW Daily that the Belt and Road Summit is a platform designed to bring countries, economies, businesses, and people together.
“The timing is perfect, the (Western Visayas) region, provinces, and cities have the right formula: proactive leadership, a business-friendly environment, the necessary infrastructure, inclusive communities, and a governance perspective which embraces the nuances of business,” she said at the conclusion of her presentation.
“We only ask for one thing: that you make it happen in the Philippines, make it happen in Western Visayas, make it happen in the City of Bacolod!” Llamas stressed as she thanked the summit organizer for the opportunity to pitch these projects.
The National Economic and Development Authority in the region said the Belt and Road Summit is a premier international platform for promoting business collaboration along the Belt and Road.
“It gathered senior government officials and business leaders from countries and regions along and beyond the Belt and Road to exchange insights on multilateral cooperation and explore concrete business opportunities,” the NEDA said in a statement, adding that the RDC6 officials, headed by Benitez and vice chairperson Arecio Casing Jr., met with financial institutions and potential investors from the 80 participating countries to promote Western Visayas as an investment destination.
It focuses on getting commitments to fund the implementation of proposed infrastructure flagship projects for Western Visayas and other priority investments by participating local government units, like Bacolod City.
Aside from Benitez and Llamas, Bacolod Rep. Greg Gasataya, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, councilors Al Victor Espino, Vladimir Gonzalez, Thaddy Sayson, Jason Villarosa, Celia Flor, Simple Distrito, Cindy Rojas, and Lady Gles Pallen, and several department heads also attended the two-day summit./CGC
