BACOLOD City – The construction of the Bacolod Express Service Office (BESO), which will serve as the city’s satellite office at a mall here, is expected to be completed before the end of December.
This one-stop-shop government service center is situated in the 427-square-meter area on the 3rd floor of Ayala Malls Capitol Central.
Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez and Maria Sharon Ciocon, mall general manager, inked a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on this on Sept. 12, 2022, in which the city will use the area for free but it has to construct the offices and install furniture and other amenities.
Benitez said the project is expected to open before the end of 2022 but has been delayed.
Frances Mae Llamas, assistant department head of the Local Economic Development and Investment Promotions (LEDIP), said they are trying to have all programs of work finished and ready for operations by Dec. 15.
“It is not only for BESO use,” she clarified, adding that the place is intended for tourism-related activities and start-up businesses.
The offices that will occupy the BESO include the Department of Social Services and Development, Local Civil Registrar, Population Commission, Office of the Building Official, Business Permits and Licensing Office, Local Economic and Investment Promotions Office, Public Employment Services Office, Bacolod City Police Office, Bacolod Traffic Authority Office, City Treasurer’s Office, City Tourism Office, City Health Office, and several national government agencies.
“Ginapalapit ta sa aton constituents kay bal-an man naton nga ang malls ang nakadtu-an sang mga tawo. We are putting here satellite offices para indi na sila mabudlayan,” Benitez said.
A similar one-stop-shop government center, the Government Services Express, is also offering services at SM City Bacolod.
The mayor said this gives people the option of where to avail of government services./PN
