Expressing confidence in the favorable business climate, one of the country’s leading and fastest growing construction retail stores is strengthening its presence nationwide by expanding its reach in Bago City, a press release from Bago PIO said.
Rafael Rafinian, CitiHardware’s Area head for Western Visayas and Northern Luzon, said Bago City now hosts the firm’s 98th store in the Philippines, the biggest in Negros Island.
Rafinian said the store which stands at the 12,000-square meter property located along the highway of Barangay Calumangan, just about a five-minute ride from the city proper, will open today.
“We have seen that Bago City is now booming especially in terms of industrial and commercial businesses alongside its rich environment and natural resources like parks and mountain resorts,” he said, adding that “we also want to serve the Bagonhons so they can also experience on the same affordable prize the world-class products being enjoyed by our customers in other areas.”
As it celebrates its 25th year, CitiHardware is growing to 100 stores nationwide this year.
Simultaneous with the Bago store, the company is also opening two more stores in Binangonan, Pangasinan, and Labangan, Zamboanga.
In Negros Occidental alone, there are five other CitiHardware stores. These are in Barangays Tangub and Mandalagan in Bacolod City, Silay City, and Kabankalan City.
Rafinian said CitiHardware Bago is positioned to cater to the building project and home improvement needs of the Bagonhons as well as of those from nearby localities, especially in the Fourth District of Negros Occidental including Valladolid, Pulupandan, San Enrique, Pontevedra and La Carlota City, to as far as La Castellana, Isabela and Hinigaran in the Fifth District.
Rafinian said they want to enhance the living standards of the Bagonhons, Negrenses and Filipinos through the wide-variety products they offer, from appliances, kitchen tools, and hardware to building materials, among others.
It is CitiHardware’s goal to serve the underserved market, Rafinian said.
“Given its booming business climate, we really included Bago in our (business) map. In fact, we are looking at the city to be the investment center of Negros Occidental in the future,” he added.
In terms of employment, the establishment has provided jobs to at least 100 individuals, mostly Bagonhons, from its land development and construction phase to its actual operations.
“It is also our social responsibility to give employment opportunities to the people in the community, especially the Bagonhons, so we can also contribute positively to the growth of the local economy,” the CitiHardware official said.
He also underscored the support of the city government led by Mayor Nicholas Yulo and Vice Mayor Ramon Torres, saying that “we are blessed that the local government has been very accommodating since the start of our construction and hiring.”
Meanwhile, Mayor Yulo and Vice Mayor Torres along with other city officials are expected to grace the opening rites at 8 a.m. today.
The first 300 customers during the opening day will receive giveaways along with other exciting surprises.
They will also be giving giveaways to pedicab drivers who will transport passengers to the store, CitiHardware Bago Store team leader Mariloue Arabejo said.
Arabejo said the store is customer-centric thus, their mantra is “customers first.”
“We are excited to be part of every Bagonhon’s homes,” she said, adding that the store opens at 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Monday to Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.*
