“I wish the Bacolod Real Estate Development Corp. will stand strong so that it can fulfill all its dreams to make Bacolod a big city similar to Cebu, Manila and Iloilo and even better than all these.”

This was the birthday wish of BREDCO president Simplicio Palanca whose 85th birthday celebration was held yesterday at the Bacolod Pavilion Hotel at the reclamation area in Bacolod City with former Environment Secretary and senatorial candidate Mike Defensor as special guest.

Palanca also said his wish is that “Bacolod City will be progressive with no strings attached. We should consider that economic development is very important to everybody.”

“Uncle Sam” (Palanca) is a very kind person and works very hard, Defensor said.

Palanca has been telling him about the development of the port and the future developments he is planning for Bacolod, Defensor said.

Defensor said he is proud of Palanca’s initiative of building the port and making it grow, which has contributed to the growth of Bacolod City.

When he visited Palanca, during the latter’s trip to Manila for a medical check-up, the businessman still continued to talk about his vision for Bacolod City, Defensor recalled.

It is unfortunate, however, that because of political reasons some people have jeopardized the development they have seen in the port of Bacolod, Defensor said.

BREDCO, represented by Palanca, has filed for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against the passage of City Ordinance 454, or the BREDCO port takeover ordinance, last month against the City of Bacolod, Mayor Evelio Leonardia, Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson, Councilors Al Victor Espino, Dindo and Kevin Ramos, Homer Bais, Greg Gasataya, Celia Flor and Roberto Rojas.

It asked the court to declared C.O. 454 null and void for being unconstitutional, violative of pertinent provisions of the New Civil Code, violative of, and non-compliant of pertinent provisions of the Local Government Code.

The defendants asked the court to dismiss the case filed against them stating that the plaintiff is not the real party in interest and has no legal capacity to sue as it has no legal standing to file the case.

The case is still pending at a Regional Trial Court.

Defensor told Palanca “I hope you will have more birthdays to come because what you have been doing is not only good for Bacolod but for the nation as well.”

Defensor, who came to Bacolod with his wife Julie, rendered the birthday celebrant a song “Moon River,” while Bagguer Villaluz played the organ.

Former Bacolod Vice Mayor Renecito Novero also sang Palanca’s favorite songs.*CGS

back to top