Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia yesterday disclosed that the current administration is preparing the groundwork for the elevation of the Bacolod City College to university status.
In a radio interview, Leonardia, who established the BCC in 1997, said that is the reason why the local government has invested most recently about P350 million for the completion of various facilities of the BCC that included the 1,000-seater capacity, air-conditioned Activity Center; Information Systems building; Business Education building and Administration building with library extension.
The Information Systems and Business Education buildings have design provisions for two additional floors.
“One of the requirements for the BCC to be elevated to a university status is an Activity Center. That alone costs P110 million. Modesty aside, there is no other school in Bacolod, Negros or Western Visayas that allotted P350 million for the massive improvement of its locally funded facilities,” Leonardia said, adding that these developments will not only make the more than 12,000 graduates proud, but will also enhance the administration and enrolment numbers of the school.
BCC Administrator Johanna Rabago-Bayoneta said the college’s modern facilities will be inaugurated soon.
“These new facilities will make learning more conducive for students, especially now that they need to be inspired to study well to make a life of their own when the time comes,” Bayoneta added.
ACCELERATING ECONOMIC RECOVERY
The mayor continued that the opening of the eight-lane Upper East Avenue on Friday is part Bacolod’s economic recovery program to signal big players that the city is bouncing back after the pandemic.
“This will also fall with our aggressive investment promotion to entice investors that we’re back on track,” Leonardia said.
Aside from its initial P35 billion investment in Bacolod and the province, Megaworld is also set to add another P10 billion to fast-track the completion of the mixed-use Upper East, he added.
DON’T TAKE COVID FOR GRANTED
The Inter-Agency Task Force, through the office of Presidential Spokesperson Sec. Martin Andanar, included Bacolod as one of 14 areas in the Visayas to remain under Alert Level 1 starting May 1 until May 15, 2022.
Leonardia, however, cautioned residents not to underestimate COVID-19 considering that the virus is still prevalent and can still infect if minimum health protocols such as wearing of face masks and observance of social distancing will not be followed.
“We have to congratulate the people of Bacolod, the Emergency Operations Center and the City Health Office and our officials. Our leaders have set things right and our policies and practices are hitting the targets. Thank you all, so much, for your cooperation,” Leonardia said.
VIGILANCE ON ELECTION DAY
Leonardia also cautioned voters to be more vigilant now that the May 9 election is fast approaching with fake news and disinformation spreading like wildfire on local and national social media platforms.
One such faux information, he added, is his alleged endorsement of Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso after the presidential candidate visited the New Government Center Thursday.
The visit of Moreno, just like other presidential aspirants, including Vice President Leni Robredo and those running for other national positions like Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, Senator Kiko Pangilinan and Helen Gamboa, wife of Senator Tito Sotto, were welcomed by Bacolodnons.
“It has been my policy to open Bacolod to all candidates for national office no matter which political spectrum they represent. This representation remains neutral. I have not endorsed any presidential candidate. I have declared this position many times before in various media interviews and public fora,” Leonardia said.*
