Bacolod City Police Office to rename camp in honor of philanthropist
BACOLOD CITY – The Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) is moving to rename its headquarters as a tribute to philanthropist and former Negros Occidental Gov. Dr. Antonio A. Lizares.
BCPO (Glazyl Masculino)
A coordination meeting was held on Monday, Sept. 1, at the BCPO headquarters, led by Police Col. Dennis Esguerra, acting deputy regional director for administration of Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR), and Bacolod police director Police Col. Joeresty Coronica to discuss the proposal and finalize the deliberation.
During the meeting, Coronica presented supporting documents, including the BCPO’s history, the original deed of donation, Lizares’ biography, and a consent certification from the Lizares family.
Lizares donated the 2.5-hectare property on Magsaysay Road, Barangay Singcang-Airport, where the police complex was constructed in 1978 for P2 million (about P64 million in 2025).
Originally known as the Bacolod Metropolitan Police District (BMPD), the facility was renamed BCPO in 1994, following Bacolod’s designation as a highly-urbanized city.
Bacolod police spokesperson Police Lt. Meller Dionio said the BCPO complex lacks an official name, prompting the proposal to officially designate it as a camp to be named after Lizares.
Dionio said that Coronica made the proposal to PRO-NIR which will then recommend it to the Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City for approval. “If approved, it will be called Camp Dr. Antonio A. Lizares,” he added.
This move is similar to Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office which camp in Barangay Estefania here was named Camp Alfredo Montelibano Sr. in honor of the first mayor of this city.
This initiative not only honors Lizares’ significant contributions—including his roles as former councilor and mayor of Talisay City, Negros Occidental, and co-founder of the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos (UNO-R) here—but also reflects the police's commitment to recognizing individuals who have left a lasting impact on the community and law enforcement.