• THERESA MAE DULMAN
A new historical marker was installed at the base of the historic Tindalo Tree at the Bacolod public plaza Oct. 19.
The reinstallation ceremony was led by Mayor Greg Gasataya and Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr., chairperson of the Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on History.
The marker replaces a previous brass plaque that was reported stolen October last year, and commemorates the 88th anniversary of the tree’s planting.
The Tindalo Tree was originally planted on Oct. 19, 1938, by former President Manuel L. Quezon and Bacolod’s first mayor, Alfredo Montelibano Sr., to mark the official inauguration of Bacolod as a chartered city.
The ceremony was witnessed by representatives from the Negros Occidental provincial government, the Negros Occidental Historical Council, led by Solomon Locsin, and various civic organizations.
Gasataya also announced increased security measures at the plaza, with more guards deployed, and the planned installation of closed-circuit television cameras in the area.
He said the city is coordinating with the United Architects of the Philippines and local historical councils on broader development and preservation plans for the plaza. | TMD
