BACOLOD City – In response to public concerns, City Administrator Lucille Gelvolea addressed the ongoing demolition of Bacolod’s old city hall, clarifying that it is not a historical heritage site.
During a meeting on August 2, notable historians Solomon Lopez-Locsin, chair of the Negros Occidental Historical Council, and Raymond Alunan Bayot, visited her office to dispel misconceptions about the building’s status.
Gelvolea emphasized that the true heritage site is the Fountain of Justice, located directly in front of the old city hall.
The clarification came amid renovations that will see the old city hall, situated in the city’s downtown area, demolished to make way for a P223-million redevelopment project set to begin on August 6.
Meanwhile, Lopez-Locsin and Bayot have proposed revitalizing Yulo’s Park, historically the city plaza, with plans to install a National Museum Marker there by August 22, coinciding with History Month celebrations. This would mark the first such installation in Bacolod.
The city recognizes five cultural properties including the San Sebastian Cathedral, Bishop’s House, Fountain of Justice, Bacolod Public Plaza, and Yulo’s Park, which remains closed.
Gelvolea noted that the Yulo family is amenable to reopening the park to the public after cleanup efforts, with maintenance to be managed by the family post-reopening./PN
