BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The 25-hectare property purchased by the provincial government of Negros Occidental in Brgy. Matab-ang, Talisay City, will be developed and utilized soon as the new site of the provincial government Capitol, and that of government regional offices.
This was after Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson confirmed yesterday plans to relocate the seat of the provincial government, from Bacolod City to neighboring Talisay City, citing potentials of the 25-hectare government property being a “growth center”.
“We just realized that, if we continue building the new provincial government office here in the North Capitol Road, it will be so crowded already,” Lacson said, adding that he anticipates the problem with parking space, noting that it is behind a commercial building.
“We don’t have any more area here for a growth center,” he added.
As planned by the previous administration, the new Provincial Administration Center will be constructed on a 16,000 square-meter lot in front of the National Bureau of Investigation building, with a budget of P900 million.
Lacson said that the idea of transferring the seat of the provincial government to Talisay City cropped up last year, with some local chief executives expressing support to the plan, although such was also entertained by the administration of the late governor Alfredo Marañon Jr.
He added that the 25-hectare property purchased by the provincial government can also be used by government regional offices. “It will be a government center,” Lacson said.
The provincial government-managed Negros Occidental Language and Information Technology Center Global Campus in Hacienda Manaul, Brgy. Matab-ang, Talisay, worth P135 million, is up for completion in 2022.
The site of the NOLITC global campus was donated to the provincial government.
Asked how soon will the transfer of the provincial government seat to Talisay City be, Lacson replied, “If we can decide to really move, we will start next year.”
But Lacson said he will also consult the business sector on the plan to relocate Capitol.
He added that they will use the existing P900 million budget for the new PAC, and will ask the contractor and the Provincial Engineering Office to make a computation of additional expenses, if it will be built in the new site.
The present Capitol building, Lacson said will be used for special purposes. “I am sure this will be put to good use,” he stressed.*
