Sun Star
BACOLOD City Mayor Monico Puentevella expressed optimism during the opening of the 35th MassKara Festival on Wednesday, October 1, that the city will soon become a hub of tourists and investors.
He noted that on September 16, SM Prime Holdings Inc. will open the SMX Convention Center in Bacolod, which will be the biggest convention center in Western Visayas.
The city will also join the groundbreaking rites of the Seda Hotel of Ayala Land Hotels and Resorts Corp., and there might be a bigger real estate investor who will sign another contract with Bacolod and Talisay, the mayor said.
“Once these will all come in, Bacolod will already be complete because Ayala is already here and SM also,” he said.
He added that there are more events and publicity in this year’s MassKara Festival.
“We are on the cover of Mabuhay magazine and of Smile/Cebu Pacific magazine. On Sunday, I will be interviewed by ABS-CBN News Channel to talk about the MassKara Festival. We have activities almost every day,” the mayor said, adding that, “We have the cooperation of everybody.”
Puentevella said that on October 16 to 20, he is thinking of closing a portion of Araneta Street going to the plaza, starting at Lopue’s Araneta.
“That means that people will walk from there going to the public plaza. I want the people to start walking. Let us value walking because it is good for our health,” he said.
The mayor said that Bacolod does not have enough hotel rooms now, but this would be addressed once SM Prime and Ayala will construct their own hotels.
Meanwhile, Puentevella said he allowed the Catholic Church to use the space fronting the San Sebastian Cathedral for commercial use.
The City Council granted them the permit from October 1 to 31 only, although the Diocese of Bacolod wants to have a permit until December 31.
The mayor said he leaves it to the City Council to decide whether they will extend the permit or not.
“I will respect the Sanggunian (Council). We can hold a dialog, but I want the Sanggunian to decide on it,” he said.