• THERESA MAE DULMAN
The Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) has committed to turn over two major infrastructure projects to the Bacolod city government by September, or ahead of the annual MassKara Festival every October.
In a recent coordination meeting and joint inspection, Mayor Greg Gasataya said that TIEZA chief operating officer Mark Lapid confirmed that the upgrading of the public plaza and the fountain at the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC) will be completed by end of next month.
Testing and commissioning will follow to allow the TIEZA to iron out minor adjustments before the start of the festival highlights.
“They (TIEZA) will turn these over to the city before the MassKara, and they are looking at the second week or third week of September at the maximum for the two projects at the plaza and the government center. Although their commitment was prior to that period, we are okay with it being not later than September,” Gasataya said.
A joint site inspection of the BCGC fountain showed that the project is around 60-70 percent complete.
The mayor said TIEZA will also finance the installation of the fountain’s power supply and committed to funding additional lighting around its perimeter.
The P300-million redevelopment of the plaza and the BCGC fountain is being implemented and funded by TIEZA, with Amigo Entertainment Technologies Inc. as the contractor. | TMD
