BACOLOD CITY – Despite the crisis brought by the pandemic that affected several businesses in the local level, Bacolod still managed to keep the economy afloat that made them recognized as the “Most Business-Friendly Local Government Unit (LGU)” in the Philippines for this year.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia received the award in a virtual ceremony on Thursday, November 18, attended by Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) President Ambassador Benedicto Yujuico and Chamber Chairperson Alegria Limjoco at the PCCI Innovation Center at the Global City in Pasig, as a highlight of the 47th Philippine Business Conference and Expo.
Such recognition came 14 years after the city won a similar accolade in 2007. The local government bested 10 other finalists in the highly-urbanized city (HUC) category of the nationwide search.
PCCI's Awards Committee cited the local government for its efforts to keep the local economy afloat despite the COVID-19 crisis and recognized the innovations and timely interventions made by the LGU in support to local businesses at the height of the health crisis, including the 24-hour vaccination drive for those in the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector and the service industry, as well as the mobile vaccination campaign that inoculated thousands of vendors in major public markets and public utility vehicle drivers, among others.
Leonardia, in his message, said that such feat reassures the people of Bacolod that when the pandemic is over, the city will all be back in business and everyone will row the boat together.
The total registered businesses here was a record high 25,627 in 2019 before the onset of the pandemic, according to Leonardia.
"We will accelerate. We will tread that road to recovery altogether,” the mayor said in his message of acceptance that was streamed via Zoom, as he thanked Bacolodnons for being an inspiration for such achievement.
Previously, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) also recognized the city government with the Seal of Good Local Governance, a measure that gives LGUs and its employees incentives or performance-based bonus.
Bacolod was also recently named by the DILG as the “Best Performing LGU-City Category in Western Visayas” and was cited “Most Competitive City in the Visayas” by the Competitive Cities and Municipalities Index of the Department of Trade and Industry.