Bacolod City officials led the groundbreaking rites Monday, Dec. 4, to signal the start of the construction of a P515 million green legislative building that is targeted to be completed by 2025.
It is one of the numerous city government infrastructure projects, which construction are expected to create hundreds of jobs and pump prime the local economy, Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said.
They will be funded by the P4.4 billion city government loan from the Development Bank of the Philippines.
The four-story legislative building behind the Bacolod City Government Center is being built by Legacy Construction Corp. and the M.K.U. Construction and Supply, and is targeted for completion in 18 months.
Benitez said he is asking the contractors to try to finish the legislative building before the May 2025 polls.
The building will house the Vice Mayor’s Office and the City Council, the Department of Social Services and Development, Office of the Building Official, Bacolod Housing Authority and City Engineer’s Office (CEO).
It will also have a conference room on the roof deck, Loben Rafael Ceballos, CEO officer-in-charge, said.
There are also extra offices to accommodate the number of councilors for two congressional districts of Bacolod, should Congress approve the creation of a second district for the city and it is signed into law, Benitez said.
Ceballos said the building has a green design for sustainability, with provisions for solar panels and rain water collection.
Also present during the legislative building groundbreaking rites were councilors Thaddy Sayson, Em Ang, Pao Sy, Celia Flor, Al Victor Espino, Simple Distrito, Kalaw Puentevella and Jason Villarosa, and SK Federation president Danna Marie Barzo.
City government projects covered by the P4.4 billion loan to start next year are mini hospitals for five barangays- P135 million, rehabilitation of Old City Hall – P223 million, the new Burgos Public Market – P525 million, improvements of various roads -P171.5 million;
Improvement of various drainages – P168.5 million, asphalt overlay of various roads -P10 million, construction of Bacolod warehouse – P67.9 million, construction of City Engineering Motorpool Area – P30.8 million, improvement of Tree Park at Barangay Alangilan – P47 million.
Construction of Pedestrian Mall – P50 million, improvement of City Health Office Complex -P220 million, recovery and recycling Complex and Eco Park – P103 million, installation of Solar Power Generating System of various Barangays and Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC) -P100 million, and construction of traffic signalization – P25 million.*