The Bacolod City government honored outstanding citizens, employees, taxpayers, and change makers during its 86th Charter Day program at the Bacolod City Government Center Tuesday night, June 18.
Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said these Bacolodnons are being honored so they can serve as examples for others to emulate.
“The 86th Charter Day is a very special day because we are recognizing exemplary individuals and companies that have made Bacolod what it is today,” Benitez said.
These individuals have contributed to making a difference for the city, he said.
“As Bacolod transitions into a super city it is also imperative that it is not just the city that becomes super but also its people… we want to have superpersons”, he added.
“We would like this to be the legacy of Bacolod in terms of transforming our citizens into superbeings,” he said.
The three 2024 Bawahanon Awardees are Bryant Lao for his extraordinary heroism in firefighting, Marigold Ponce Tangco for her charitable acts and services, and Nestor “Aboy” Evaristo for fostering professionalism creativity and innovation in the city’s food service industry.
The Be the Change awardees are Fairly Pretta, the Sagup Negros: Food Waste Mitigation Initiative and Dr. Edwin Segovia.
Pretta is a working student who helped a Bacolodnon and his mentally ill son, while Sagup Negros is a group dedicated to rescuing food waste and transforming it into quality meals to help others.
Segovia is a teacher at the Banago Elementary School II who started and led the “School Supplies Mo, Sagot Ko” initiative for students from the marginalized sector.
Named outstanding city employees are Engr. Julio Cayetano T. Belleza, Dr. Edwin J. Mirafor, Marissa Britania and Leonardo Biantan.
Mayor’s Citation Awards were given to the Amado B. Parreno Agricultural Corp., Amity Volunteer Fire Brigade, Bureau of Fire Protection-Bacolod City, Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Philippine Red Cross Negros Occidental-Bacolod City, Manila Water Company, and Rotary Club of Bacolod for helping the city government bring water to residents during the drought.
Bacolod’s outstanding taxpayers of 2013 in the following categories are:
*Real property tax individual category – Jose Antonio Alonte Jr., Stephanie O. Chiu, Roseller R. Maalat. Catherine G. Ong and David Chiu;
*Top business taxpayers individual category – Jerry Sy – Silver Dragon Construction Lumber and Glass Supply, Wilkinson Ong – Wilkinson Construction, Alvin C. Yu – Bacolod Triumph Hardware, Peggy KL Coo – KLC Enterprises and Alvin C. Chua – A-A Electrical Supply;
*Top real property taxpayers corporate category – Coca Cola Beverages Philippines Inc., Capital Central Commercial Ventures Corp., SM Prime Holdings Inc., Philippine Airlines Inc., and Megaworld Corporation; and
*Top business taxpayers corporate category: Nestle Philippines Inc., Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines, AOB Corporation, SM Prime Holdings Inc. (SM City Bacolod) and Mainstream Business Inc. (SM Bacolod Department Store).
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Bacolod Rep. Greg Gasataya, who delivered messages at the Charter Day rites, also congratulated all the awardees for contributing to the growth and development of Bacolod City.
“Bacolod City is fortunate to have at the helm of ushering it into the future a man who is not only a staunch advocate of positive change but also an inspired and ingenious leader whose vision has set a strong foundation for the future growth of Bacolod City”, Lacson said of Benitez.
He said the current accord between the Negros Occidental and Bacolod governments is immensely constructive and beneficial to Negrenses and Bacolodnons.*