The province of Negros Occidental has canceled the plan to move its seat of government to the neighboring Talisay City, and will instead proceed with the construction of the new Provincial Administration Center (PAC) adjacent to the Provincial Capitol here.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Wednesday he has issued an instruction to start the building works at the original site of the PAC.
“We will not anymore transfer to Talisay. We will just maybe have to study what we can do with the property that will also create economic activity in that area,” he told reporters.
Lacson said the contractor for the new PAC, the Dynamic Builders and Construction Co., has manifested its unwillingness to go through another bidding to build at the Talisay site.
“Hence, they were given the greenlight to continue their work here at the original site. We will be monitoring them every month,” he added.
The governor said the Commission on Audit has taken note that the transfer would not push through and that the Provincial Capitol will remain in its original area.
The construction of the new PAC building, which straddles Aguinaldo Street, Gatuslao Street, and North Capitol Road, is expected to last for about three years, he added.
Early last year, the mayors of Negros Occidental had unanimously supported the transfer of the provincial government offices from Bacolod to Talisay to the north.
The initial plan was to build the almost PHP1-billion new PAC on a 25-hectare property along the Bacolod-Silay Airport Access Road.
Source: Philippines News Agency
