Bacolod City’s ‘Japan Town’ in the works

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Mayor Alfredo “Albee” Benitez said on Monday that this city will soon put up a “Japan town” where Japanese establishments can “co-locate” here in coordination with the Philippine Embassy in Japan.

“You will experience being in Japan but not necessarily have to go there,” Benitez said.

Benitez said this is among the things he wants to report to the public after he joined President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s visit to Japan recently.

He said he had initial talks with Megaworld President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Tan who will donate three hectares of their Upper East property for the Japan town project.

They are in the process of finalizing the design and perspective, Benitez said.

He described the Japan trip as “more of a marketing effort where we presented future projects for Bacolod City.”

He said he learned that most Japanese don’t know where Bacolod City is.

“That is how far we are in our efforts of promoting this city,” he said.

The mayor further said it was a fruitful trip adding that there were a lot of people who asked questions and a few inquired in the field of renewable energy and infrastructure projects as well as tourism.”