By Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD City – The P1-billion New Government Center of Silay City in Negros Occidental will soon become a reality.
Mayor Mark Golez said the building will be constructed in a 6.5-hectare property at Hacienda Maquina, Brgy. Rizal, Silay City, which was donated by the family of Rob Jalandoni, who is also the donor of the sites of Teresita Lopez Jalandoni Provincial Hospital, Domus Dei and the Doña Monserrat Lopez Memorial High School,all in Silay City.
The deed of donation was signed by Golez representing the Silay City government, and representatives of the Jalandoni family in second quarter of last year, upon concurrence of the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
As stipulated in the memorandum of agreement, Golez said the construction of the New Government Center should be completed within four years.
Golez said that the P1 billion budget will be sourced from a loan from the Development Bank of the Philippines.
“The two-storey New Government Center will spur development in those areas, which is near to the Bacolod-Negros Occidental economic highway that traverses from Bacolod City to Victorias City, and will definitely change the landscape of Silay City,” he added.
It would be a design and build project, which promotes the Silaynon heritage, Golez said.
The 54-year-old Silay City Hall will be transformed into a museum or host various national government offices.
Earlier, the city government of Silay also donated a 2,000-square meter lot for the construction of a new police station in Brgy. Mambulac, Silay City.
The Bureau of Fire and Protection and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology already constructed in the same area their respective facilities on their respective lots.
“It will soon be a one-stop-shop for those having transactions with various agencies under the Department of Interior and Local Government,” Golez said.
Golez also said that the 3.5-hectare sanitary landfill of Silay City will soon be inaugurated in March. It was also financed through a P100-million loan from the Land Bank of the Philippines.
The 3.5-hectare lot was an absolute donation of his father Jimmy Golez, the mayor added.
Golez considers the P1 billion New Government Center and the P100 million sanitary landfill as his landmark infrastructure projects, during his incumbency as mayor of Silay City.
Because of the Supreme Court’s Mandanas ruling, Golez reported that the National Tax Allocation of Silay City rose from P800 million to P1.020 billion starting 2022.
While they have a credit line of P1.4 billion to secure loans with DBP, Golez said the city government prefers to only have a P1 billion loan.
The groundbreaking rites for the New Government Center of Silay City is slated on Feb. 9 with 3rd district Rep. Jose Francisco Benitez and Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson as invited guests.
