THE Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) has expressed confidence that Negros Occidental and its capital Bacolod City will be the most visited province and city by prospective investors and tourists in 2020.
Its chief executive officer Frank Carbon said they have seen the progress in the city and province for the last three years.
Carbon said this gives them hope and conviction that further progress is possible in 2020 and beyond.
“We factored in strong money circulation, improved connectivity and accessibility and shaping up Metro Bacolod why the business sector is optimistic for the province and city,” he said, adding that these clearly show how things are in Negros Occidental.
The local business group attributed the strong money circulation to good sugar prices, vibrant tourism industry and strong middle class having extra money to spend.
MBCCI cited that after Boracay Island in Aklan, Negros Occidental has the highest number of tourist arrival.
In terms of accessibility and connectivity, Carbon said there’s already a solicited proposal to expand the terminal and runway of the Bacolod-Silay Airport in Silay City.
The airport, through the access road, has a direct link with Bacolod City and other localities up to the Third District.
Carbon said the connectivity boosts the movement, the in and out, of people and products.
“Such accessibility will be complemented by the development of coastal road,” he said, adding that there’s currently a shaping up of Bacolod and “metro third” which is a highly-urbanized urban or growth center.
Metro Bacolod is composed of cities of Bacolod, Talisay, Silay, and Victorias, and E.B. Magalona town.
The growth in these areas is manifested by the presence of airport, seaports, access road as well as commercial and residential developments, among others, he also said.
The business sector further expressed optimism that the progress will be sustained through good governance in the city and provincial level.
“Good governance will be the sustaining force,” the MBCCI official stressed.
Carbon said with all of these in place, the private sector is the beneficiary and will act as the salesman.
“We will bring in investments, we will expand our businesses,” he said, assuring that they will continue to sell the province to attract investors resulting in generation of more employment.