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Bacolod is set for prime economic growth over the next several years. One sign that its economy is booming are the infrastructures that will soon rise in the city.
Bacolod, known as The City of Smiles, is a highly urbanized city in Western Visayas that is set for prime economic growth over the next several years. As the capital of the province of Negros Occidental, Bacolod is attracting a host of investors, particularly in the information technology and business process outsourcing industries.
One of the signs that a city’s economy is booming is a healthy list of current and planned infrastructure development projects, and Bacolod is no exception. Bacolod is already the Philippines’ third fastest growing economy in terms of IT and BPO activities, but its landscape is set to further improve with the infrastructure that will soon rise in the city.
Government Buildings
A pair of government buildings are set to rise in Bacolod, showing that the public sector is also willing to invest in The City of Smiles in addition to the private sector.
The first government building is a new-generation complex of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, which will be constructed on a 5,000 sq.m. property at the city’s reclamation area. The Bacolod branch of the BSP has been occupying a building on the corner of Lacson Street and Luzuriaga Street for over 30 years.
According to BSP Governor Nestor Espenilla, the new complex will allow the BSP to offer improved services, particularly involving currency management, financial inclusion, and financial and economic awareness. Espenilla also described Bacolod as “among the most active growth corridors in the country.”
Meanwhile, Mayor Evelio Leonardia said that the new BSP complex, in addition to the recent opening of a Securities and Exchange Commission extension office in the city, completed the picture of Bacolod as a “growing and dynamic city.”
The second government building planned in Bacolod is the new, Php 900-million Provincial Administration Center, the construction of which had Dynamic Builders as the lone bidder. The project shows a willingness to invest not just from the city government, but also from the provincial government
The new Provincial Administration Center will rise in a 16,000 sq.m. lot located in front of the National Bureau of Investigation-Bacolod building. The investment of Php 900 million, composed of Php 624 million for the cost of the building and Php 276 million for furnishings, a generator, and four elevators, is part of a loan agreement worth Php 1.2 billion with the Land Bank of the Philippines.
The new Provincial Administration Center construction in Bacolod City started in October 2022. Provincial Engineer Ernie Mapa believes that this government building will be constructed in three years, most probably by October 2024.
Build, Build, Build Projects
Bacolod has also caught the eye of the national government, with its Build, Build, Build initiative generating two projects in and around the city.
The first Build, Build, Build project for Bacolod is the Bacolod Economic Highway, which is targeted for completion by the end of 2022 with a budget of Php 5.8 billion. The project is a 21.8-kilometer, 4-lane road, including 3 bridges and a 2-way bike lane, that will serve as an alternate circumferential road bypassing Bacolod’s central business district.
Given the expected economic growth of Bacolod, a road that will help ease the flow of traffic in the city is an important project.
The second Build, Build, Build project is the operations, maintenance, and development project for the Bacolod-Silay Airport, which is located in nearby Silay City. The Bacolod-Silay Airport opened in 2008, replacing the Bacolod City Domestic Airport.
The overall goal of the project is to decongest the Bacolod-Silay Airport, which is currently operating beyond its designed capacity; enhance operating efficiency, safety, and security; improve passenger amenities; and expand the airport’s networking and marketing.
The project involves the development, operations, and maintenance of the existing facilities, as well as the expansion and construction of new passenger terminals, along with all the associated infrastructures, facilities, and equipment. The project also aims for the enhancement and development, operations, and maintenance of landside facilities, including new and existing terminals, and airside facilities, including the apron, runway, and taxiway, to cater to the increased scale of operations at the Bacolod-Silay Airport.
The project is slated for completion by the end of 2023, with a budget of Php 20.3 billion.
Megaworld’s The Upper East and Northill Gateway
Megaworld, one of the premier property developers of the Philippines, is building a Php 28-billion central business district in Bacolod named The Upper East.
Covering 34 hectares, The Upper East will host a mixture of residential condominiums, shopping malls, mixed-use buildings, hotels, and state-of-the-art office towers, among many other structures. One of the highlights of the township is a New York-inspired lifestyle mall with several interconnected buildings, with one of those buildings to be inspired by the iconic Grand Central Station in New York City. Another highlight is the Casa de Emperador, a mixed-use structure that will feature a unique architectural design.
The Upper East will not be all about man-made structures though, as Megaworld has committed to preserving centuries-old Acacia trees in various parts of the township as part of its unique character and design.
Megaworld will take the next 10 years to develop The Upper East, but Bacolod’s attractiveness to both investors and workforce alike will surely significantly increase once the township is finished.
The Php 28 billion earmarked for The Upper East is part of a wider Php 35 billion investment by Megaworld, which also includes the development of the Northill Gateway.
The Northill Gateway is another township with upscale residential villages, a mixed-use office and retail development, and leisure and recreational amenities, located on the border of Bacolod and Talisay. The township will cover 50 hectares and will have direct access to the Bacolod-Silay Airport and will be the site of the Philippines’ first Las Vegas-style ‘welcome marker’ that will greet incoming and outgoing visitors.
Bacolod’s Future Infrastructure Signals Growth
The infrastructure that will rise in Bacolod not only signifies more buildings but also reveals the confidence that the private and public sectors have in the city’s future.
The local and national government’s projects signify Bacolod’s importance in the overall picture for the Philippines, as the city receives funding for further improvements and better services. Meanwhile, with Megaworld leading the charge in the private sector through The Upper East and Northill Gateway, investments from BPO firms, property developers, and retailers will continue to flow into Bacolod to push it towards realizing its potential as one of the country’s premier cities.
Read our previous Bacolod feature to learn more about the city’s development.
