Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia compared Bacolod City today to what it had been three years ago as he bared the accomplishments of his administration, during the Grupo Progreso miting de avance Saturday night at the Bacolod City Public Plaza.

"We have not only rebuilt Bacolod, we have made it move forward," he told the cheering crowd that filled the plaza and stayed on to almost midnight to listen to the candidates of the party.

Leonardia said his administration is now giving free miscellaneous fees for public elementary and high school students, and has also given Philhealth benefits to hundreds. He said they have also paid the teachers' Emergency Cost of Living Allowance amounting to P65 million in three years, and about P27 million in back ECOLA.

He recalled it was also during his first term as mayor that the Bacolod City College was established, and that the present administration has transferred the old dumpsite from Brgy. Mandlagan to Brgy. Felisa, and established a relocation site at the Vista Alegre-Granada (Abada-Escay) property of the city.

Leonardia said that when this administration came in in 2004, Bacolod had no relocation site because the 30-hectare lot in Abada-Escay property which was bought by the city in 2002, was made to "sleep". But in a matter of months the present officials constructed and opened the Abada-Escay relocation site, he said.

Because of the cooperation of congressional candidate Renecito Novero and the members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, the slaughterhouse building constructed by then Bacolod Rep. John Orola, is being improved and equipped and will soon become operational, Leonardia said.

A 40-YEAR DREAM

He said that for over 40 years the city had dreamt of having a new City Hall, and he is happy to inform the people that, with the cooperation of the vice mayor and the SP, the construction of the new government center is now being realized.

On the criticisms of those who filed charges against them for the project, he cited the Judge who rendered the decision clearing them that "Our leaders must take risks to achieve progress, or not doing so at all may result to the consequent paralysis in government operations."

Meanwhile, Leonardia also said their Grupo Progreso is the only contending group in this election that has written down and signed its campaign platform. This is because their members believe in accountability, he said.

APPEAL FOR CONTINUITY

He appealed to the people to help them complete their plans for the progress and improvement of Bacolod City by voting them back to office. He cited as examples the cities of Manila, Makati and Quezon City whose mayors were able to accomplish much, unlike those who changed officials every three years, and the new ones also change or undo what have already been started.

The group is composed of congressional candidate Renecito Novero, vice mayoralty candidate Jude Thaddeus Sayson and Homer Bais, Napoleon Cordova, Chuck Estrella, Kai-shek Tan, Greg Gasataya, Cesar Leonardia, Wilson Gamboa Jr., Bobby Rojas, Al Victor Espino, Ed Guillem, Dindo Ramos, and Alex Paglumotan, who are all running for councilor.

Leonardia said "We have many plans for the city because we want the city to progress and we need a City Council that is progressive and concerned with the development of Bacolod."

He cited the call center industry in the city has provided about 2,000 jobs, plus the opening of new malls which has provided additional employment for thousands more of the city's jobless.

Leonardia said that, for the first time, construction in the city has reached P1.6 billion and the city's budget has increased by about 22 percent.

CITATIONS

He said Bacolod has been proclaimed by the Asian Institute of Management one of the five Most Competitive Cities in the Philippines, and as the "Most Business-Friendly Local Government Unit" by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Actor Rey PJ Abellana, who rendered a surprise number, said that after being away from Bacolod for three years he was very happy to see how the city has progressed under the present administration. He cited the construction of additional infrastructures in the city and asked the public to support the Grupo Progreso slate in order to continue its development.

Paglumotan, a former councilor and vice mayor, who focused his speech on exposés about the incumbent congressman, and was applauded several times, reminded the public not to sell their votes. He said doing so is tantamount to selling the future of their children.

PLUNDER

Novero, the last speaker, reminded the people that the election is a sacred exercise of democracy. He pledged that he will represent the city in Congress with honesty and transparency and will never be involved in scandals.

He also vowed to file plunder charges against his opponent for unaccounted government funds which, he said has reached more than P50 million.

The "Miting de Avance" closed with the singing of an inspirational song and fireworks.*CGS

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