Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez missed to attend the State of the District Address (SODA) of lone district congressman Greg Gasataya at the University of St. La Salle Coliseum on July 7, raising speculation of their possible encounter in the 2025 mayoral election.
According to Gasataya, Benitez’s absence was due to a conflicting appointment.
In his report “Serbisyong May Puso (Service with a Heart)” attended by over 6,000 crowd, Gasataya highlighted his major accomplishments over the past 8 years.
Under his leadership, Gasataya emphasized his role in advocating for legislative initiatives, including laws facilitating free education in all state universities and colleges, the conversion of the Carlos Hilado State College into a university, the expansion of the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital to a 1,000-bed capacity facility, and the establishment of the Bacolod City General Hospital.
Throughout his address, Gasataya shared stories on the impact of his “Serbisyong May Puso” work in transforming lives.
He also provided statistics highlighting the various forms of assistance rendered by his office to beneficiaries which include medical assistance to 22,711 beneficiaries, burial assistance to 6,731, financial aid to 40,263, and aiding 10,244 scholars.
Another 18,087 indigent patients at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital also received medical assistance from the congressional office, he said.
Gasataya also reported paying over P50 million in medical bills for 279 Bacolod patients in hospitals outside Bacolod City.
A total of 20,990 also received aid through the “Tulong Panghanapbuhay Sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers” and 6,300 “Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program” beneficiaries, the congressman reported.
In terms of infrastructure support, Gasataya reported the completion of 14 health centers, 338 multipurpose buildings, 21 barangay halls, 8 markets, 767 classrooms in 33 schools, 125 flood control and drainage projects, 36 bridges, 221 road projects, and 28 farm-to-market roads provided. He also distributed 24 barangay vehicles.
He also announced that the Bacolod Negros Economic Highway is set to become fully operational on August 30, a project aimed at opening new growth areas for Bacolod City.
Despite widespread speculation regarding his plans for 2025, Gasataya declined to divulge whether he is contemplating a mayoral run, asserting that he has yet to decide.
Gasataya began his public service career as a broadcast journalist at Bombo Radyo Bacolod.
He first entered Bacolod politics as a councilor after being invited by former mayor Evelio Leonardia to join his local political party.
After completing his term as a city councilor, he served as Vice Mayor and then as mayor, all under Leonardia’s Grupo Progreso. However, in the 2022 election, he parted ways with Leonardia and ran for congressman in his final term under the Asenso party of Benitez.
