The Bacolod City government has accepted the proposal of a Manila-based company for the construction of the 10, 000 housing units for the poor in Bacolod City starting this year, which is expected to create about 15,000 jobs for Bacolodnons, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez said Monday, January 9.
Accepted was the public private partnership (PPP) proposal of WRS Holding Inc., Benitez announced during a press conference at the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC).
The city government and the firm are now in the negotiation stage, after which their agreement will be subjected to a Swiss challenge from other interested parties, City Legal Officer Romeo Carlos Ting Jr. said.
Three initial Yuhum Village identified sites are in barangays 8 and Vista Alegre, and the BREDCO area, Benitez said.
A fourth site in Barangay Pahanocoy is also being considered, he added.
Bacolod residents will be able to avail of the housing units through Pag-IBIG loans. Pag-IBIG has committed to fund the 10,000 housing units in Bacolod.
WRS Holding Inc. informed him that it can turnover some of the housing units in six to eight months, the mayor said.
Benitez said they will ensure that the majority of the people hired for the construction of the housing units are from Bacolod.
The mayor said the strategic planning sessions he held with the Bacolod City council members in Baguio City was to ensure that they move in the same direction in 2023.
They were all in agreement that the direction will be job creation for the people of Bacolod, he said.
This will be achieved by ensuring that the proper infrastructure is in place for the creation of jobs and that the labor force is properly trained to meet the demand, Benitez said.
P4.5B PRIORITIES
Benitez also said the Bureau of Local Government Finance has granted Bacolod City permission to avail of a P4.5 billion loan for the construction of a legislative building , improvement of markets, waste management, drainages, land banking, automation for ease of doing business and a city library.
Benitez also said the Bacolod Coliseum in Barangay Alijis is 50 complete.
Instead of bleachers retractable seats will be placed in the coliseum so it can be used not just for sports but also as a convention center, he said.
The price of the P800 million coliseum has been reduced by P80 million, he added.
He also said plans are underway to develop the esplanade near the BCGC into wider space for a park that people can enjoy.*