The almost P10 billion Bacolod Coastal Express Way was one of three Western Visayas priority projects that were presented to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during his meeting with Regional Development Council (RDC) chairpersons from around the country last week, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said on Thursday, May 2.
Three RDC Priority Programs and Projects per region were presented to the president during the April 30 meeting at Malacañang.
The Bacolod Coastal Express Way from barangays Punta Taytay to Banago has been prioritized for construction in anticipation of the influx of vehicles when the Panay-Negros-Guimaras bridges are completed, Benitez, who is the RDC 6 chairman, said.
The proposed costal road will ease the anticipated traffic in Bacolod from Panay and Guimaras, he said.
The Express Highway will cost almost P10 billion and will gradually be built with a P500 million allocation initially proposed for this year, he said.
Also among the priorities are three Department of Social Welfare and Development regional warehouses in Western Visayas for faster aid response during calamities, he said.
The three proposed locations of the warehouses are Cadiz City in Negros Occidental, Pototan in Iloilo and Roxas City, Benitez said.
The third priority project is a cruise ship hub for Boracay Island that will boost tourism in Western Visayas, he said.
The cruise ships that will bring in passengers will dock at the hub for a day or more, Benitez said.*