The Bacolod City government will hold the groundbreaking for the almost P515-million legislative building on December 4, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said yesterday.

The proposed four-story structure is among the priority projects funded by the P4.4-billion loan of the local government from the Development Bank of the Philippines to accommodate the offices of the city council and other departments.

It will rise adjacent to the Bacolod City Government Center in the eastern part of the city.

“By tomorrow [Wednesday, November 29], the city council will ratify the contract I signed [with the contractor], and upon notification, the notice to proceed will be issued,” Benitez said.

The mayor earlier released a video of the architect’s perspective on the proposed legislative building.

Based on the proposal, the Department of Social Services and Development, the City Engineer’s Office and the Registry of Deeds, presently housed at the Hall of Justice, will occupy the first two floors.

Councilor Jude Thaddeus Sayson, chair of the committee on appropriation and finance, said the city council granted Benitez the authority to sign the contract of agreement with the winning bidder, the Manila-based Legacy Construction Corp./M.K.U. Construction and Supply.

On November 8, the city council received Benitez’s letter requesting the authority to sign and a copy of the proposed contract.

The city government issued the notice of award to the contractor on September 20, and the contractor reaffirmed its intention and willingness to undertake the design and build project on October 12.

Project mobilization will start 10 days after the contractor receives the notice to proceed, and the target completion is in 840 days, according to the contract.

“Since the offices at the Government Center are already crowded, we need to provide additional spaces for the employees to work better and provide the right service to the people,” the mayor said in a statement. (PNA)