Three growth zones that will drive Bacolod’s rise as a regional powerhouse for commerce and industry were outlined by urban planner Carlos Arnaiz during his presentation of the city’s 25-year master plan on Friday, Feb. 7.
Arnaiz, founder of Carlos Arnaiz Architects (CAZA) and chief executive officer and co-founder of Studio for Urban Analysis (SURBA), presented the city government-commissioned master plan and urban design for Bacolod at L’Fisher Hotel.
Bacolod is the next big story, it is very well positioned to lead growth in the Philippines, an upbeat Arnaiz said.
The Bacolod Urban Master Plan 2050 was presented to the city’s business leaders, developers, and representatives of various sectors to get their inputs to further improve on it, said Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, who was joined by Rep. Greg Gasataya and the city councilors.
Benitez said the plan is needed because “we don’t want it to happen that with fast development, we will reach a time that we will have problems. We want to avoid future problems brought about by development.”
It is necessary to anticipate the future needs of the city, such as adequate water supply, as it grows, Benitez said.
The proposed master plan would enable Bacolod to ensure sustainable development in the next 25 years, he also said.
The video presentation of Arnaiz said the plan is to transform Bacolod into a super city by building mobility and resiliency infrastructure.
Bacolod’s blue green infrastructure will be water conscious managing stormwater through bioswales and river promenades connected to coastal parks that support sustainable aquaculture while promoting tourism with spaces for recreation and community engagement, it said.
Bacolod’s s new mobility infrastructure will also foster a more connected lifestyle providing essential services within 15 minutes, the presentation said.
This will be achieved by developing a multimodal transit hub, a coastal highway, boulevards with tree lined sidewalks, bike paths, a BRT (bus rapid transit) system and smart technologies from eco-sensors to energy efficient lighting.
The plan cited the following as the three growth zones that will form the backbone of Bacolod City:
*The North City where Pulo and Mandalagan Creek merge into Catmon River creating a natural framework for an international port, ferry terminal, eco-industrial park and agri-industrial logistics complex connecting industries with local ecosystems for optimized growth.
*Center City that will be anchored by a 12,000 square meter multimodal transit center supporting 50 buses linked to a brand new 26,000-square meter fresh market with 300 parking lots to ensure convenience.
It will be integrated to new housing options from towers to town houses for a wide range of markets as a model of thoughtful urbanization blending functionality, accessibility, and sustainability.
*South City between Lupit and Masungay rivers will support a tech district featuring start up hubs, makerspaces and a digital nomad village. A coastal road and waterfront park complete this lifestyle focused district, according to the plan.
This vision of sustainable growth supported by custom tailored urban planning guidelines for high medium and low density urban development that redefines connectivity and connects communities to their ecosystems, sets the stage for a more robust economy, it said.
“This vision is ambitious but ambition is what drives transformation. Together we have the power to shape Bacolod into a city that inspires and leads,” the stakeholders present were told.
“We invite you to be part of this journey,” they were also told.
Benitez said city’s stakeholders are happy that they are being involved in the planning of the city.*