The owners of the Bacolod Convention Plaza Hotel have withdrawn their offer to sell the property to the city, leaving the number of offers for the new Bacolod City Hall at only 16.

Bacolod City Administrator Lorendo Dilag yesterday said Rafael Lizares Jr., the president of the Bacolod Convention Plaza Hotel, informed the city Monday that they are no longer interested to sell the hotel since the building will be rented by a call center.

Dilag said the offers have been categorized into three - the ones owned by the government, those donated, and those being offered for sale.

He said those owned by the city are the Abada-Escay property in Brgy. Vista Alegre, the Taculing site, and the 4.5 hectares share of the city at BREDCO.

The properties offered for donation are those owned by Juan Ramon Guanzon in Mansilingan, the heirs of Ramon Lacson Sr. in Vista Alegre by Eduardo Alunan in Mandalagan, and the Gensoli family in Vista Alegre, he said.

Those being sold are the Anglo property in Mandalagan, Bormaheco in Tangub, Maybank at San Juan-Luzuriaga streets, Philprocom in Singcang, Lot. 43837 at Gatuslao Street, Lot 70327 in Mandalagan, and the properties of former Bacolod Rep. John Orola, Vicente Estacio, Cynthia Rodriguez and Nelie Antigua.

Dilag said the offers will be considered and evaluated in terms of accessibility, traffic, cost of development, area and the concept of a one-stop-shop. The city is also considering two options either to abandon the present site, or retain the present site without vacating it, and putting up a new government center, he said. Ideally, he said, and for purposes of development, the area should not be less than two hectares.

Meanwhile, Vice Mayor Renecito Novero said during that the executive-legislative caucus held yesterday, the city officials discussed all the offers and agreed to have another caucus on Saturday to decide which to eliminate and to retain until they can make a common choice. They also agreed to set a timetable, he said.

During the public hearing yesterday, the SP members asked for clarification from the offerors.

Former Bacolod Vice Mayor Ramiro Garcia, who has asked the SP to consider the Bacolod Airport as a possible site for the new city hall, opposed the Taculing site it will affect the expansion of the Bacolod City College and the Bacolod City National High School, and congest Taculing.*CGS

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