- CHERYL G. CRUZ
Councilor Jason Villarosa has filed a proposed resolution before the Sangguniang Panlungsod this afternoon, Oct. 5, to declare tycoon Kevin Tan as Adopted Son of Bacolod City.
Villarosa said that as president of the Megaworld Real Estate Investment Trust (MREIT), “Tan has been instrumental in its investment in Bacolod, and the impact of the corporation’s investments to the advancement of the economic growth of the city cannot be understated”.
In May this year, Megaworld announced that it was increasing its capital spending for its Bacolod townships, from P35 billion to P45 billion, particularly inside the 34-hectare The Upper East near the Bacolod Government Center.
The additional P10-billion investment for The Upper East was due to great potential and opportunities for this township that is fast rising to become Bacolod’s first modern central business district, the company said then.
Its other township is the 50-hectare Northill Gateway in the boundary of Bacolod and Talisay City in Negros Occidental.
Villarosa’s proposal states that Tan’s future goals include creating employment to over five million Filipinos and shifting his company to become carbon neutral by 2035.
“Tan, who took over the family business after the retirement of his father, Dr. Andrew Tan, has targeted numerous cities to invest in,” including Bacolod, the neophyte councilor said.
“It is in this resolution that we express our recognition and regard to the goals and aspirations of Mr. Kevin Tan by declaring him an adopted son of Bacolod City,” Villarosa said, adding the proposal is an offshoot of the request of Mayor Alfredo Benitez.
The SP deferred action on the proposed resolution, pending a formal request from the Office of the Mayor.
In 2020, the SP approved a resolution declaring Tan’s father, Dr. Andrew Lim Tan, as adopted son of Bacolod for that year, in time for the BacoLaodiat Festival./CGC
