By MERLINDA A. PEDROSA

Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya confirmed that at least five regional government agencies have expressed interests in establishing offices on the city government-owned land in Barangay Vista Alegre’s Abada Escay.

Gasataya said the city has received expressions of interest from Negros Island Region (NIR) offices of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection, and Department of Budget and Management to establish their regional offices in the city.

He said the city currently has at least 17 hectares of available land in Abada Escay.

The mayor noted that the PNP had initially requested four hectares for the permanent headquarters of the Police Regional Office in NIR, while the DENR had requested one hectare.

Other agencies require between 1,000 and 2,000 square meters of land.

Gasataya said the city has already signed a memorandum of undertaking with some regional agencies, while discussions with others are still ongoing to finalize their plans.

“The establishment of regional offices here will help boost the city’s economy by attracting development, investors and potential businesses,” he said.

He added that the project will also create opportunities for residents, particularly those on relocation sites, through increased employment and livelihood prospects.

The mayor emphasized that the property is located beside the Bacolod-Negros Economic Highway, which he described as the city’s next major growth area for business and development.

“We will bring business development to the eastern part of the city. This will be a big help to our constituents,” Gasataya said./MAP, WDJ