BACOLOD City — The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) here is deliberating two proposed ordinances seeking to rename the South and North Capitol Roads in honor of late leaders who played key roles in the development of the city and the province.
The measures, authored by Councilor Homer Bais, propose renaming South Capitol Road as Mayor Alfredo L. Montelibano Jr. Avenue and North Capitol Road as Governor Alfredo G. Marañon Jr. Avenue.
Both roads are bounded by Lacson Street on the east and San Juan Street on the west.
The proposed ordinances were approved on first reading during the regular session of the City Council on January 14.
Bais said the renaming aims to recognize the lasting contributions of the two leaders to Bacolod City and Negros Occidental, noting that both dedicated decades of public service to improving governance, public welfare, and local development.
According to the proposed measures, the renaming complies with Republic Act No. 7160, or the Local Government Code, which authorizes local legislative bodies to rename city roads, subject to consultation with the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and the requirement that public places not be named after living persons.
The proposal honoring the late Alfredo L. Montelibano Jr. highlights his long tenure as governor of Negros Occidental from 1968 to 1986 and later as mayor of Bacolod City from 1988 to 1995.
Bais said Montelibano’s leadership was marked by the advocacy of “Paglaum,” or hope, a principle that influenced governance, youth development, and grassroots sports programs in the city.
His administration also supported the establishment of the Bacolod Rescue Unit (BACRU), which strengthened emergency response capabilities and later evolved into the Community Emergency Response Team.
Meanwhile, the proposed ordinance naming North Capitol Road after Alfredo G. Marañon Jr. cites his nearly six decades of public service, which included stints as councilor, vice mayor, two-term mayor of Sagay City, assemblyman, congressman, and governor of Negros Occidental from 2010 to 2019.
The ordinance credits Marañon with initiating the Negros Occidental Comprehensive Health Program (NOCHP), which provided hospital access to indigent residents without advance deposits, and launching the Negros First Development Agenda, which focused on food security, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, and environmental protection.
It also notes his role in establishing the Negros First Cyber Center and in advancing the formation of the Negros Island Region (NIR).
Bais said the proposed renaming of the two Capitol roads is intended to serve as a lasting tribute to the leaders’ contributions and as a reminder of their impact on the city’s progress./PN
