Going south

When he was appointed Bacolod City Administrator, former Congressman John Orola urged investors to go south of the city where there are still wide spaces and more opportunities to have than going north, close to Talisay City when the Ayala Land opened their posh subdivisions. These had drawn business towards that city.

When Convergy’s call center opened in One San Parq and soon after its second building, the tallest with 15 levels, progress indeed went north. Gaisano City ought to have drawn people south after Magsungay Diot (Lupit) Bridge. Indeed it drew people there but when the Bacolod Airport was closed, that put a damper on the investments south of the city.

Lopue’s South Square had to give in to better income for the corporation from call centers rather than the supermarket.

The south became drab, not even the allure of Goldenfield Commercial Complex, except for the Caribbean Resort that kept the momentum there. The resort, the only one of its kind within the inner city is usually fully booked – its rooms and pool. But beyond this, there is nothing attractive.

The opening of Cano Gwapo in Campuestohan north of Alangilan competes with the Caribbean although their amenities and attractions differ.

There is movement in the south of the city lately, however. The Department of Public Works and Highways seems hurrying up the completion of a six-lane road from Tangub to the boundary in Sum-ag with three bridges are being elevated and widened.

A 600-bed private hospital is rising in Pahanocoy while the Medalla Elementary School also in Pahanocoy is a magnificent building not of the usual mold but a miniature Bacolod City Government Center, similar to the one in Sum-ag and soon another at the city lot at the reclamation area, the extension of the Education and Training Center.

This new school is a joint project of the Department of Education and the City of Bacolod, but showcasing the iconic BCGC.

John Orola, however, is taking his own initiative with the opening of Oroland at the Circumferential Road just between Barangay Cabug and Barangay Alijis. The area is already home to several housing subdivisions and we can expect that with the expansion there the area would soon be teeming with people. Commercial establishments, however are still missing there enough to make people avoid the crowded and traffic congested inner city,

Oroland is different because the entire 10-hectare land is not all housing units. There is a Shrine in honor of the Holy Spirit,  a garden area, a wellness center where natural massage (the traditional hilot) will be offered in native huts (well provided, I presume) and several other amenities that will attract people within the area to its facilities.

I hope, though, that the fruit trees are kept and more trees are planted in addition to those already there. The area is mainly rolling plains with rice paddies at the low areas and from the looks of it from the concrete roads the natural contour of the land will be preserved.

The inauguration fell on John’s (never mind the years) birthday on May 26 which happened to be the same date as the feast of the Holy Trinity Sunday.

By two o’clock the number of plates that a caterer from Himamaylan counted had already reached 400 and several more came to greet John.

A Eucharistic Celebration started the day with Fr. Roselo Villarosa and Fr. Pablo Tabino followed by the blessing of the site of the Shrine of the Holy Spirit and the model houses and facilities that we can expect from Oroland.

The Shrine and the garden with its several angels already gracing the landscape is about 200 meters from the circumferential road to towards the west.

John said that Fr. Tabino will be holding his healing rites at the Shrine though he did not say when it would be completed.

John’s family was there headed by their matriarch Tya Meding that John accredited for her vision that lead to the acquisition of the land.

The progress towards the south however is only towards Sum-ag. Waiting for exploitation is the wide swath of land to the east of the circumferential road to expand the city’s perimeter of growth. From the circumferential road to Granada, there is slow progress but from here towards Handumanan and Cabug is still rural although the city is congested at the core.

The city is to review its development plan this year and perhaps it can open the opportunities towards the south and east of the city.

John, however, is not waiting. He is doing his bit regardless of the city’s plans.*    

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