Work has began for the construction of the P449.8 million three-storey Negros Cyber Center at the Paglaum Sports Complex in Bacolod City, Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. said yesterday.

The construction is being undertakenE.M. Cuerpo Inc. and Dynamic Builders and Construction Inc. that has began ground clearing work for the building that will face Lacson and Hernaez streets.

The Cyber Center is being built for lease to information technology firms planning to set up operations in Bacolod City, to create more jobs in Negros Occidental, the governor said.

Meanwhile, Department of Education Regional Director Mildred Garay met with the governor yesterday to inform him of the DepEd’s setting up of a proposed model class at the Negros Occidental High School to train 11th and 12th years students for work in call centers, with the scheduled addition of two years to basic education.

Negros Occidental needs 4,000 additional call center agents so training is important, she said.

Garay said a pilot class to train students to become call center agents is also underway at the Bacolod City National High School.

NOHS and BCNHS have very good English teachers who will be further trained this summer to prepare students to become call center agents, she said.

She said they are working with call representatives to review and enhance thecurriculum for these pilot classes.

AYALA PROJECT

Meanwhile, the governor said he sees no legal impediment to the sale and lease by the Negros Occidental provincial governmentof its 7.7-hectare property in Bacolod City to Ayala Land, and he hopes the Commission on Audit releases a ruling on the matter soon.

He cited the recent Court of Appeals ruling dismissing moves of SM Prime Holdings to halt the sale and lease of the property.

The provincial government had submitted the contracts for the sale and lease of the property to Ayala Land to the COAin July last year yet for review, he said.

But despite three letters sent by the provincial government to the COA asking for an explanation of the delay, no action has been taken, he said.

Marañon said he has asked Transportation and Communication Secretary Mar Roxas to help the provincial government follow up the matter with the COA, and the secretary has promised to do so.

The governor also appealed to the media yesterday to help the provincial government find out the real reason for the COA delay.

He said that, under the Constitution, the COA should have acted on the matter in 60 days.

AIRPORT

The governor said he also relayed to Roxas his request for the lengthening of the Bacolod Silay Airport runway and the expansion of its terminal.

However, these will all boil down to available government funds, he said.*CPG

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