Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia yesterday said that the award received by Bacolod from the Asian Institute of Management has established the city in the investment map of the Philippines.

Bacolod, along with Batangas, Iligan, Iloilo and San Fernando-Pampanga topped the 2005 survey conducted by the AIM, in cooperation with the USAID, the Asia Foundation and the German Technical Cooperation during the awarding rites held at the Grand Ballroom of the International Hotel in Makati City Monday.

Leonardia said Bacolod ranked number one in Quality of life and in Infrastructure, while Iloilo in Dynamism of Local Economy. Other criteria were Cost of Doing Business, Human Resource and Training, Responsiveness of Local Governance, and Linkages to Major Urban and Growth Centers, he said.

Leonardia said the survey was conducted by very prestigious and credible institutions whose purpose is to make the cities, who top the surveys, as role models for the rest of the cities to follow.

"The award is a validation of our claim that Bacolod is back on track," he said, adding that the result of the survey is very important because investors and the business people worldwide make them as their references, or basis when they make decisions on where to invest.

"This news is very timely because it will add momentum to what is happening in Bacolod, Leonardia also said. With SM coming in, providing thousands of jobs and steering the business climate, plus the call centers, I'm sure this will be another big factor that will further push Bacolod forward, he added.*CGS

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