Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez has unveiled an ambitious plan to transform itself into a “Super City” at this second State of the City Address held at the Bacolod City Government Center yesterday, July 3.
In his 15-pager speech, the mayor outlined a series of initiatives aimed at improving public services, boosting the economy, and creating a more sustainable and livable environment for residents.
Part of his dream is to implement the underground electrical and telecommunication cabling, particularly on Lacson Street, the city’s main thoroughfare, to improve aesthetics and safety. The mayor in his first 100 days has previously pushed for the removal of the spaghetti wires around the major thoroughfares, but up until today it remains a struggle for the city to clean it from all forms of wires from various telcom providers and the local power provider.
The mayor said part of the plan for the Lacson street also includes the creation of linear parks by reclaiming sidewalks, making the city more walkable.
The plan according to the mayor may cause temporary inconvenience, however, he said that this outweighs the long-term benefits in his push to become Bacolod as a super city.
The mayor described the road to becoming a Super City as a marathon, requiring a lot of efforts and collaboration from the community.
To achieve this, the mayor is calling for unity and partnership from residents to achieve this shared vision.
Bacolod has already begun implementing its Master Plan, with initial projects already underway, he said, adding that the city government is confident that this plan will lay the foundation for a prosperous and sustainable future for Bacolod City.
The mayor also reported his efforts to improve Bacolod City’s infrastructure and economy, aiming to transform it into a “Super City”.
Building a Modern City, Tourism & Creative Economy
The mayor also highlighted on his accomplishment the construction of new landmarks like the Legislative Building and City Health Complex is underway, aiming to enhance the city’s image.
The mayor also reported increase in tourist arrivals , contributing to the local economy. The Masskara Festival remains a major draw, he said.
He also made mention of the Bacolod Film Festival, a new initiative to support local filmmakers and boost tourism through the city’s artistic potential.
Digitalization
As part of his push to digitalize the city services, he said that the city has implemented smart solutions to improve public service and boost the economy.
These include opening one-stop shops for government transactions, implementing a QR code system to prevent fake business permits, and streamlining business permit application processes.
Not only is it easy to get a business permit, it’s also fool-proof transaction, Benitez said.
As a result, investor confidence in Bacolod is high, leading to new businesses locating in the city, increased revenue collection, real estate development projects, and a significant rise in the number of available jobs.
In the past year, DLEDIP opened the Government Services Express (GSE) at SM City Bacolod, and the Bacolod Express Service Office at Ayala Malls Capitol Central, he added. These are one-stop shops, where you can pay your taxes, process business permits, and get your senior citizen and P-W-D I-D, and avail of other government services.
No need to come here to BCGC, he stressed. Since G-S-E opened in S-M in June 2023, it served a total of 50,728 individuals, while BESO in Ayala served a total or 47,367 as of December 2023.
It also made the operations of the G-S-E and BESO 7 days a week and even on holidays, he added.
Under his administration, he said the city has surpassed the collection in 2019, before the pandemic. Based on data from the City Treasurer’s Office, in 2023, total revenue from local taxes, regulatory fees and other charges reached 1.4 billion pesos, which is P500 million higher than the collection in 2019.
At the end of 2024, Benitez said he expects P1.7 billion in local revenues.
Addressing Basic Needs
The mayor in his speech also acknowledged key challenges that affects the daily lives of Bacolodnons such as the inconsistent water supply and high-cost of electricity.
On water, he said an intervention has been made like the increased in production, with a goal of achieving 24/7 water supply for most areas by the end of 2024. BACIWA-Primewater recently signed a deal with a private company for a bulk water supply project.
On electricity, Benitez detailed the efforts to expedite approval of a Power Supply Agreement, leading to a decrease in electricity bills. The entry of a new power company is also anticipated to improve distribution and reduce costs, he added.
Benitez said Bacolod’s past success as the “jewel of the Visayas” motivates the pursuit of becoming a Super City.
He stressed that transforming Bacolod requires a shift in governance practices to meet evolving needs.
The long-term goal is to create a Super City with high homeownership rates, accessible healthcare, and a strong sense of community.
