BACOLOD City – The Regional Development Council (RDC) of Western Visayas has presented three major projects to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., aimed at benefiting the islands of Guimaras, Panay and Negros Occidental.
Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, chairman of the RDC, participated in a meeting with various RDCs convened by the President in Malacañang on April 30. During the meeting, he outlined the initiatives.
The projects are the construction of the Bacolod Coastal Road, a regional warehouse for the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and a Cruise Ship Hub in Boracay Island.
Benitez explained that the Bacolod Coastal Road project anticipates increased vehicle traffic stemming from the proposed Panay-Guimaras-Negros (PGN) bridge.
“This will ease traffic congestion in our city,” he said.
The project, set to extend from Pulupandan in the south to Victorias City in the north of Negros Occidental, has been allocated an initial fund of P0.5 billion from a total budget of P10 billion.
Regarding the proposed regional DSWD warehouse, Mayor Benitez emphasized its role in speeding up response times during disasters and other emergencies.
“This will reduce travel time during calamities and ensure quick distribution of provisions throughout the region,” he said.
Potential locations for this warehouse include Pototan in Iloilo Province, Roxas City in Capiz, and Cadiz City in Negros Occidental.
The third proposal, a Cruise Ship Hub for Boracay, is still under review for its exact location. According to Mayor Benitez, this hub would allow cruise ships to anchor for a day or two, facilitating passenger embarkation and disembarkation.
“This will significantly boost tourism in Western Visayas,” he said./PN