BACOLOD City has once again received a “Special Citation” at the 2020 Most Business-Friendly Local Government (LGU) Awards during the virtual awarding ceremony of the 46th Philippine Business Conference & Expo on October 8.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia said this award was given based on the 2019 performance of LGUs; and last year, among other positive developments in the local economy, Bacolod City broke new ground in recording the highest number of total business registrations at 25,627, which it never achieved before.
Leonardia further said that while it is unfortunate that the growth spurt in the previous years was stunted by the Covid-19 pandemic this year, he trusts in the resiliency of our business people to survive this crisis, and with unity and cooperation of everyone in observing health protocols to keep local transmissions of Covid-19 lower per day, then the faster the City can enter the “new normal” state where the local economy will be allowed to operate at almost-normal capacity and recover its momentum.
The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), organizer of the awards and the biggest organization of businessmen in the country, had earlier chosen Bacolod City as one of the nine (9) national finalists in the Search for the 2020 Most Business-Friendly LGU Awards.
The respective mayors faced a panel of judges coming from the business, industry, academic, and government sectors.
This is the fourth consecutive year - or from 2017 to 2020 - that Bacolod made it as a national finalist in this prestigious award.
The criteria for judging in the 2020 awards were based on the LGUs’ performance in 2019, as well as its Covid-19 response.
It was in 2007, also under Leonardia’s term, that the PCCI had also recognized Bacolod, for the first time, as the “Most Business-Friendly City” in the country, besting other finalists at that time.
The PCCI conducts the annual search to recognize the outstanding efforts and commendable practices of LGUs in the country to promote trade and investments, employment, transparency, accountability, and efficiency in delivering business services.
This year, the search focused on significant initiatives introduced by the LGU to address the major challenges currently faced in order to successfully restore and increase the business operations within the locality. (PR)