Market rehab funds redirected to Old City Hall, Legislature

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD CITY – The city government plans to reallocate the P525 million budget initially intended for the rehabilitation of Burgos Public Market to complete the Old City Hall and legislative building projects.

This decision follows Mayor Alfredo “Albee” Benitez’s recent announcement about the insufficient funds to complete the two projects.

In December last year, the city allocated P223 million for the total renovation of the Old City Hall on Luzuriaga Street in the downtown area.

However, Benitez recently mentioned that changes in the project scope led to a funding shortfall.

Benitez explained that the original design by the City Engineering Office (CEO) for the Old City Hall did not include the second, third, and fourth floors above the fountain, necessitating an extension.

The CEO suggested widening the second and third floors to cover the fountain and driveway of the Old City Hall, resulting in an additional P80 million needed.

The new building will feature a library, commercial spaces, government offices, and basement parking. It also includes developing the Fountain of Justice, which is part of the Old City Hall.

Additionally, the P515 million four-story legislative building project faces a P100 million shortfall due to design changes. Benitez noted that councilors want the building to be iconic and memorable.

“If you look at it, the New Government Center (NGC), now called the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC), was built more than 16 years ago, so there are changes in the total construction of the legislative building,” Benitez said, citing increased costs for materials and land.

The city has a separate budget allocated for purchasing furniture.

The legislative building, situated behind the BCGC, features a hybrid design incorporating green elements, making it environmentally friendly and sustainable.

It includes provisions for solar panels, a rainwater collection system, and is a two-district-ready structure.

“One option is to use the market budget if the market rehabilitation does not proceed. We can transfer the funds to other projects,” Benitez said.

He mentioned that projects that cannot proceed due to unforeseen reasons could be realigned to these two projects, targeted for completion next year.

These projects are part of the priority initiatives funded by the P4.4 billion loan from the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP).

“Since it’s designed and built, we have a leeway of a 10 percent loan adjustment,” Benitez said.

He assured that all initiated projects were approved by the City Council and emphasized that they would finish these projects as legacy projects, which he also highlighted in his July 3 State of the City Address (SOCA).

“These will be iconic buildings in Bacolod,” he added.