The ₱418-million expansion of the Bacolod-Silay Airport passenger terminal will begin next month as part of an infrastructure push aimed at transforming Bacolod into a highly connected economic hub.
Deputy House Speaker and Bacolod Rep. Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez announced this during his State of the District Address at the SMX Convention Center Bacolod on Friday, July 10.
The immediate terminal upgrade will significantly improve the airport experience by nearly tripling the pre-departure seating capacity from 500 to 1,480 passengers.
Benitez said he is also continuing to advocate for the proposed ₱380-million runway expansion, which will enable the airport to accommodate larger aircraft and strengthen its potential to attract more international flights.
“Every transportation route improved means efficient movement of people and goods—creating greater economic opportunities for Bacolodnons and opening more doors for tourism and trade that brings Bacolod closer to the rest of the country and the world,” he said.
“Roads, bridges, airports, and access routes are more than public works. We invest in them to connect people to jobs, businesses to markets, and communities to opportunities,” Benitez added.
That is why he is continuing to push for the completion of major road networks, including the Bacolod-Negros Occidental Economic Highway (BANOCEH), the Bacolod Boundary Bypass Road, the Circumferential Road, and the South version Road, along with road connections leading to the airport, seaport, and centers of trade and industry, Benitez said.
Benitez said he also proposing flyovers along severely congested road sections, such as the Bacolod Circumferential Road-Burgos Avenue and Bacolod Circumferential Road-Alijis intersections.
To further ensure safe mobility and transport, Benitez said he is working toward the installation of more than 1,000 units of solar-powered streetlights along Bacolod’s major highways.
Benitez added that he is working for the development of additional farm-to-market roads in Granada, Vista Alegre, Tangub, and Alangilan.
He also said that based on the report of the Department of Education Division of Bacolod City, the city’s public schools face a shortage of 389 classrooms.
To address this shortage, Benitez said he supported the construction and repair of 39 classrooms in 2025.
“Now, we are working to build 86 more classrooms. By the end of the year, our public schools will have 125 more classrooms,” he said.
Benitez said that his goal is to advance legislation that responds to Bacolod’s evolving needs, secure national government support, and ensure that the city is represented in the national budget.
He also outlined measures he has taken to improve health services, education, skills training, and food tourism to improve the lives of Bacolodnons.
“Building a Super City requires all of us—local governments and national agencies working together, businesses creating opportunities, educators shaping minds, healthcare workers saving lives, civil society strengthening communities, and every Bacolodnon choosing each day to help build our city’s future,” Benitez said.
“So we will keep building, keep improving, and keep bringing people together—until the Super City we have envisioned is no longer just our aspiration, but our shared reality,” he said.*
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