Mayor Greg Gasataya takes his oath of office before Interior and Local Government Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla as his family looks on.*
Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya said on Saturday, June 28, that the first 100 days of his administration will be anchored on the word HEART, “a commitment to serve with immediate, actionable solutions founded on empathy, integrity, and compassion.”
Gasataya, Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, Vice Mayor Claudio “Kalaw” Puentevella and the city councilors took their oaths of office at the Bacolod City Government Center grounds on Saturday evening attended by Interior and Local Government Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla.
Gatasaya, the 44th mayor of Bacolod, named four lawyers who will hold key posts under his administration.
Mark Mayo will serve as city administrator, and Reuben Sabig will head the Bacolod Traffic and Transportation Management Department.
Gasataya is retaining Marty Go as secretary to the mayor and Karol Joseph Chiu as city legal officer.
Go will also head the Bacolod Comprehensive Health Program (BacCHP)
The mayor said HEART stands for Health; Education, economic, environmental sustainability; Access to basic services, agriculture, animal welfare, and access to technology and housing; Reliability of disaster risk reduction and management; and Traffic management, transportation, and tourism.
HEALTH
Gasataya said the Bacolod City General Hospital was one of his priorities as congressman, and it will soon be equipped with modern, comfortable, and uncongested healthcare facilities for Bacolodnons.
The Bacolod City government and the Department of Health will ensure that the finalization of the hospital’s implementing rules and regulations are centered around giving access to free if not very affordable healthcare and comprehensive public health services, he said.
In terms of specialized healthcare, Gasataya also said the Cancer Care Center he worked on as congressman will be open in August.
To ensure the continued implementation of the BacCHP, a flagship health program of Asenso Bacolod under the leadership of Benitez, it will be supervised by the secretary to the mayor, he said.
ECONOMIC GROWTH
Through the Bacolod City Department of Local Economic Development and Investment Promotion, Gasataya said they are now moving towards making the properties around the 22 kilometer Bacolod-Negros Economic Highway one of the Bacolod investment zones.
The local government will continue to work for the donation of a 17 hectare property at the Old Bacolod Airport owned by the national government through a presidential proclamation, he said.
This is beside the 4.5-hectare property owned by the city government, he said.
The city can develop this as an urban enterprise zone, which can avail of local incentives and can later on be upgraded into a PEZA special economic zone in order to qualify for national incentives, Gasataya said.
Adjacent to this is the property owned by SM Prime Holdings where they will transform the old airport into a modern township, he said.
EDUCATION
Gasataya said they will also start laying the groundwork for the conversion of the Bacolod City College (BCC) into a university.
The city government recently signed a memorandum of agreement with several BPO companies and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to launch the Asenso Life Skills Academy training program at the BCC, he said.
This initiative will open up more employment opportunities for young professionals. As an accredited learning center, the city will continue to equip this institution to produce globally competitive Bacolodnons, he said.
“We will ensure the swift operationalization of the ‘near hire program’ through the BCC, which will provide jobs to thousands of Bacolodnons,” Gasataya said.
GARBAGE
Gasataya said of the numerous complaints brought to the attention of the city government, a good number of them are about garbage collection.
“We will ensure the strict compliance of the IPM (officials) to their its contractual obligations: shape up or ship out,” he said.
FLOODING
Through the City Engineer’s Office in coordination with the Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office they will also focus on connecting the local drainages to the ongoing construction of the diversion channel at the reclamation area, he said.
The city government will initiate dredging operations of narrowed creeks in Barangay Mandalagan, Gasataya also said.
BASIC SERVICES
Gasataya said he will also request the Sangguniang Panlungsod to pass an ordinance that will grant exemptions from payment of processing fees for late registration of birth certificates, obtaining death certificates and others for students and indigents.
The city government will pursue negotiations for the acquisition of a PCGG-owned property at Brgy 35 for the security of residents in the area, he also said.
“It is high time for us to make all artificial reefs accessible for use to aid our Bacolodnon fisherfolk at the old airport,” he added.
DISASTER RESPONSE
“To provide more efficient disaster response, we will establish a strategic clustering system for barangays to fast track our emergency response times,” Gasataya said.
They will ensure the full activation of 101 existing CCTVs for enhanced monitoring and security capabilities, he said.
“With our very promising partnership with the national government, the city of Bacolod will work out for the inclusion in the DILGs permanent core program – the 911 unified emergency system”, he also said.
Aside from proposed police station in Barangay Estefania, they are also looking forward to the establishment of two more police stations in Sum-ag and Banago, Gasataya said.
TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT
Gasataya said through the Bacolod Transportation and Traffic Management Department, they will implement the no parking ordinance at Lacson and Araneta streets on identification and establishment of alternative parking spaces.
The city government will be requesting authority from the SP to conduct a traffic experiment geared towards maximizing the Bacolod-Negros Economic Highway as an alternative route, the mayor also said.
Bacolod currently has 35 intersections equipped with traffic lights, but 12 are left inoperable, he said.
“While of these 12 lights, five are still in need of major repairs due to defective controllers and damaged wires, we are informing the public that in the coming weeks, the traffic lights along Ramos, Bangga La Salle, Lopue’s East, Rizal, Awing, and Sum-ag intersections will be fully operational,” Gasataya said.
He thanked Sabig for going “the extra mile in accepting the call to lead our traffic management”.
Preparations are also underway for the MassKara Festival 2025, he said.
SPORTS
Gasataya also said on July 4 the city government will recognize Bacolodnon medalists, record-breakers, and athletes who represented Bacolod City in the Palarong Pambasa 2025.
“This very special event marks the institutionalization of cash incentives for deserving Bacolodnon athletes,” he said.
As part of the city’s sports development program, there will also be a new and improved Bacolod City Football Field located inside the Bacolod City National High School and an available swimming pool at the Barangay Mansilingan Activity Center, Gasataya said.
Highlighting his continued commitment to all basketball fans and enthusiasts, the Greg Gasataya Basketball League will be a year-round tournament with four categories, the mayor added.
Gasataya also stressed his commitment to grassroots sports in the hope that Bacolod can produce an Olympian.
EXECUTIVE ORDERS
Among the urgent matters that he is also prioritizing through executive orders are:
*EO 001 – Bacolod City Senior Citizens Center to ease services for senior citizens and to provide them medicines at the ground floor of the Bacolod City Government Center;
*EO 002 – Go.Grow.Glow Bacolod – tree planting, caring, and beautifying every available space in Bacolod with greens;
*EO 003 – Bacolod City governance and grassroots services for barangays;
*EO O04 – Creation of technical working group for the Bacolod City government online app portal; and
*EO 005 – Establishment of the Bacolod City Youth Lounge and Co-working Space.
“Let it be emphasized that this administration will have enormous care and attention for the youth. That is why we will work very hard to materialize our first ever Bacolod City Youth Lounge and Co-working Space which will cater the emotional, mental and even professional needs of our young people, our friends from the LGBTQIA+ community, and especially our beloved students,” he said.
Gasataya said the city administrator will be tasked with addressing the needs of Bacolod’s three major markets that are also priorities of his administration.
TRANSPARENCY
He also assured Bacolod City’s tax payers that his administration will be very transparent in all government services to ensure that the taxes they pay do not go to waste.
Gasataya also stressed that he will not allow “ghost” job order workers in Bacolod City, which was started by Mayor Benitez.
He also called on all JOs to voluntarily undergo drug tests before he signs their appointments.
Scholarships and health programs will also continue, he assured.
“We begin this journey with a clear purpose, firm resolve, and a heart full of hope. In 100 days, we may not accomplish everything, but we can surely prove that we are serious about change —and even more serious about our people,” Gasataya said.
Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez takes his oath before Barangay 18 Punong Barangay Madeline Diaz.*
BENITEZ
Saturday night marked a new chapter in his journey of public service, Benitez said.
“As I officially took my oath as congressman of Bacolod, I also formally turned over the keys to the City to Mayor Greg Gasataya. This gesture represents not just transition, but trust, unity, and our shared commitment to the people of Bacolod,” he said in his message to the people of Bacolod posted on his Facebook page on Sunday.
“I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have served as your Mayor. As I move forward to represent you in Congress, know that my dedication to Bacolod remains as strong as ever”, he added.
Vice Mayor Claudio “Kalaw” Puentevella takes his oath of office before Taculing Barangay Captain Lady Gles Pallen – president of the Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas – Bacolod City Chapter*
The Bacolod City councilors who took their oaths of office before Judge Juvy Victoriano-Dioso.*Ronnie Baldonado photo
CITY COUNCILORS
The 12 elected councilors of Bacolod are Caesar Distrito, Israel Salanga, Em Ang, Jude Thaddues Sayson, Jason Villarosa, Celia Matea Flor, Dindo Ramos, Roberto Rojas, Wilson Gamboa Jr., Pao Sy, Homer Bais and Al Victor Espino.
Ramos was not present at the oathtaking rites.*