The Negros Electric and Power Corporation (NEPC), in partnership with the City of Bacolod, held a blessing and groundbreaking ceremony of the Lacson Street Underground Distribution System Project at the Capitol Park and Lagoon, Bacolod City.
Present were Mayor Albee Benitez, NEPC Engr. Bernard Bailey Del Castillo, NEPC CEO Roel Castro, Congressman Greg Gasataya, Province of Negros Occidental Vice-Governor Jeffrey Ferrer, together with Councilors Thaddy Sayson, Israel Salanga, Em Ang, Vladimir Gonzalez, Jason Villarosa, Kalaw Puentevella, Simple Distrito, and Celia Flor, Special Assistant to the Mayor Engr. Mae Cuaycong, and City Engineer’s Office Head Engr. Loben Ceballos.
With an allotted budget of P79 million, the project will work on a 1 kilometer stretch from the corner of Capitol Road all the way to the corner of BS Aquino Drive.
“We will start with the first kilometer, but the whole project is six kilometers.”
“We will start with the first kilometer, but the whole project is six kilometers. This is already part of the P2 billion capital expenditures that we have earmarked with all the other projects as well,” Castro explained.
During the opening remarks, it was shared that Lacson Street was chosen because it is a central location, an economic hub, to enhance tourist appeal, urban development, and improved public safety, reliability, and aesthetics.
In his keynote message, Benitez expressed his support for the project and shared that the ordinance that will allow to bring all the wires underground is now on its second reading with Puentevella as the lead author.
“We should be really more aggressive.”
“We should be really more aggressive, and my proposal was to bring it underground. I’d like to thank Negros Power for responding to the call, and immediately, they took the initiative and started this project,” the mayor said.
He also suggested to put Bacolod City as the coordinating body to coordinate between Negros Power and the telcos.
Lastly, it was emphasized that NEPC is targeting to award the project this December and to secure the approved permits for the excavation by January which will indicate the project’s start.
In the next 10 months before MassKara, NEPC is targeting to finish the 1 kilometer stretch.
