THE Provincial Government of Negros Occidental is eyeing four major projects worth half a billion pesos this year to further improve the delivery of its services and spur more economic development in the province.
These projects include the renovation and expansion of the Provincial Administration Center (PAC) worth P185.9 million, construction of the Negros First Food Terminal (Bagsakan) amounting to almost P115.5 million, development of the Capitol-run Sweet City Captel worth P113.9 million, and renovation and construction of Mambukal Mountain Resort Hotel and Convention Center in Barangay Minoyan, Murcia, at P84.8 million.
Second district Board Member Salvador Escalante Jr., chairperson of the Provincial Board's Committee on Finance, Budget, and Appropriations, said the development plans of the projects, including the program of works and perspectives, were presented to the board during their caucus on Wednesday, January 13.
He said the board would call for a meeting with the province’s financial advisers next week to discuss funding.
“These are the priority projects of the governor for this year,” Escalante said.
Of the four projects, three are income-generating, and so the province expects to get its expenses back in time, he added.
Escalante said the PAC will be renovated and the space in the middle would be utilized for the construction of an additional structure.
The renovation and expansion of the Sweet City Captel is meant to establish the proposed Negros First Hostel, while a complete demolition of the old Pala-Pala on San Juan Street in Bacolod City would give way to the construction of the Negros First Food Terminal, Escapante said.
The Mambukal development mainly includes the reconstruction of the 300-person capacity convention center into a 500-person venue. Adjacent to the convention center, a hotel will be constructed to accommodate the increasing number of visitors at the Capitol-run resort.
Mambukal resort manager Ellen Marie Jalandoni told Sun.Star Bacolod on Wednesday that the proposed accommodation facility is separate from the P100-million hotel construction project earlier announced by Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr.
“This accommodation facility is a three-storey building that can cater to around 120 persons,” Jalandoni said, adding that for now, it will be prioritized over other hotel projects.