Mayor Evelio “Bing” Leonardia vowed to “bring Bacolod City to even greater (economic) heights” after he made official his reelection bid last week.
Leonardia, the incumbent mayor of Bacolod, filed Wednesday, October 6, his certificate of candidacy to run again for mayor in the 2022 national and local elections, together with his running mates belonging to the local political aggrupation Grupo Progreso (GP) which he himself formed in 2007.
“We will not fail you. We will bring Bacolod City to even greater (economic) heights. We have the track record to prove to you what we’ve done for Bacolod before the pandemic. We will do it again,” Leonardia said during the GP press conference held before they filed their COCs.
The mayor cited the rapid economic progress in Bacolod, resulting from its “business-friendly climate,” as proof of his administration’s leadership competence.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government rated Bacolod as the “Best Performing Local Government Unit in Western Visayas” under Leonardia’s watch as well being the “Most Competitive City in the Visayas” in the Department of Trade and Industry competitiveness ranking.
“Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Bacolod City was among the fastest growing economies in the country. It had its fastest growth rate ever as shown by facts and figures. We even have a record high of 25,637 business registrations in 2019,” Leonardia, also the current president of the League of Cities of the Philippines, said.
The mayor said a reelection – together with all his running mates in Grupo Progreso – would allow him and the others to continue what they have started to sustain Bacolod’s progress.
Notably, Bacolod’s robust economy went full swing beginning 2004 onwards with Leonardia at the helm of the LGU as SM City, 888 Chinatown Square, Ayala Malls Capitol Central, City Malls and Vista Mall, among others, opened.
Among the big players that have started multi-billion investments on condominiums, malls, subdivisions, hotels, and other real estate ventures are Megaworld, Vista Land, Rockwell, Robinsons, Cebu Landmasters, SM Prime, Ayala Land, Citadines, Seda, and Park Inn.
“All these are sure signs of investors’ confidence and a positive economic dynamism,” Leonardia pointed out.*
