BACOLOD CITY – A modern city hall will soon rise in a historic site in the downtown area here.
City officials headed by Mayor Albee Benitez led the groundbreaking of the new four-story building on Luzuriaga-Araneta Sts. in Barangay 13 on Tuesday, August 6.
BACOLOD City officials headed by Mayor Albee Benitez (fourth from left) hold the groundbreaking of the P223-million new Bacolod City Hall on Tuesday, August 6. (Glazyl Masculino)
Benitez said the Old City Hall will be renovated 58 years after it was built.
“We have decided together with our engineers to come up with a concept that will embrace Bacolod history,” he said.
Benitez said that modern technology will be used to create a modern city hall that this city can be proud of.
He said that modern technology will be used to preserve the location that has a historical significance.
A huge iconic art piece will be put up in the new building that Benitez called a legacy project.
“This will be a work of art that we will be proud of,” Benitez said, adding that he has asked the City Council to come up and engage a group of local artists to create the art piece that will highlight their talents.
Benitez said they also want to make the building a cultural place where they enhance the artistic significance of this city.
The second floor will be for the local chief executive and legislative offices and the new building will also have a driveway and underground parking.
Benitez said that the Fountain of Justice will remain and be covered and preserved.
He said they will assess which offices will be housed in the building once it is completed. The mayor said the project is targeted to be completed in 18 months.
The city government has allocated P223 million for the project. The money is part of the P4.4-billion loan from the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP).
Benitez said the City Engineering Office (CEO) has yet to finalize the actual amount of the building as they are still assessing the changes in the project scope.
Changes in the project scope led to a funding shortfall of about P80 to P100 million.
Benitez said they are contemplating to utilize the P525-million budget initially intended for the rehabilitation of Burgos Public Market to complete the renovation of the Old City Hall.
The rehabilitation of the market did not push through due to the opposition of some vendors over the effects on their livelihood.
Benitez is planning to realign a portion of the budget for the additional funding of the new city hall.