Mayor Evelio Leonardia has called on members of the City Development Council (CDC), including business leaders and Bacolodnons in general, to be ready for better and bigger things to come with the goodwill and positive image resulting from the recent declaration of Bacolod as the Most Business-Friendly Local Government Unit for 2021 outside of Metro Manila.
Speaking before the council Monday, Leonardia, the concurrent CDC chairman, was upbeat as he expressed confidence that the city will get back on track, under the new normal, and pursue greater economic progress after the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry on November 18 awarded the LGU the most prestigious award it won in 2007 when he was also mayor.
He recalled that after receiving the PCCI title, SM City, which had just started out then, ventured into expanding its complex beginning with the SMX Convention Center.
Today, he continued, the SM Group added a hotel (Park Inn), started to construct a building for call centers and a university (National University) on top of the Smile Residences that when completed would comprise about 7,000 condominium units.
In addition to SM and Robinson’s, which had also invested in expansion in recent years, the Ayala Group came. Ayala Malls Capitol Central, Amaia Steps and Seda Hotel are now in place in the city.
Also coming in with major portfolios are Vista Land of the Villar Group that transformed the Buri Road in Barangay Mandalagan from being a far-flung, rural area into a metropolitan business community with the opening of Camella Homes and All Home Mall.
Many are cognizant of the fact that even with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic still, property developers like the SMDC, Cebu Landmasters, Megaworld, and Rockwell in the high-end segment continue to develop their areas.
He cited other players like the City Mall of Injap Sia that built two malls in the city and 888 Chinatown Mall.
Recently, the mayor led guests during the opening of the clubhouse and Christmas Village of Megaworld owned by tycoon Andrew Tan.
One of Megaworld’s two 18-storey towers is nearing completion and residences, hotel, call centers, and a shopping mall will operate at the sprawling township located across the Bacolod City Government Center.
Tan is an adopted son of the city and was given the title as Bacolod’s honorary mayor, which he values so much, Leonardia said.
Represented by Megaworld executive Harold Geronimo, a Negrense by birth, Tan’s firm committed to spruce up the BCGC and Bacolod Public Plaza grounds with Christmas decors in time for the holidays./WDJ