By Mae Singuay

The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod committee on tourism is pushing to double the budget for next year’s Bacolaodiat Festival.

Councilor Jason Villarosa hopes that the budget provided by the city government to festival organizer, Bacolaodiat Inc. will be increased to P10 million, from this year’s P5 million budget, to have a bigger and grander celebration.

“Subong isa lang ang festival site ta. Hopefully, by next year, madako na like sa MassKara [Festival], may Lacson [Tourism Strip] may ara man sa [New Government Center or Bacolod City Government Center],” Villarosa said.

He would submit proposals amending City Ordinance 426, which institutionalized the Bacolaodiat Festival, or requesting the City Mayor’s Office for an additional budget.

“Knowing Mayor Albee [Alfredo Abelardo Benitez], he really wants to promote ang aton tourism and, hopefully, dugangan niya ang budget to P10 million,” he stressed.

Villarosa claimed that last year, they provided a budget amounting to P3 million, which resulted in a fund deficit for the organizer.

“Subong nga P5 million, nagmuno si Stephen Sy, the festival chairman, nga ayawan sila pa-igo sang budget,” Villarosa said.

He added that the Bacolaodiat Festival has few sponsors, unlike the MassKara Festival.

“We will propose an additional budget and the Bacolaodiat community will be happy,” the councilor said.

The Bacolaodiat Festival, symbolizing the convergence of Bacolod’s Tsinoy community with Filipino culture, opened last Friday, February 9./MS, WDJ