This Week in Bacolod (April 16 to 23, 2017)

Commuters and motorists may find vehicles moving slower than usual when going through Magsaysay Ave. and Araneta St. due to the construction of the second flyover. The Magsaysay-Araneta flyover, a project which aims to ease traffic congestion in the southern part of the city, was approved by former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) way back 2010.

The Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO) will implement rerouting if there is traffic congestion in the areas affected, and will deploy about 12 traffic enforcers along the said areas. The construction will occupy two lanes which will still be open to passing vehicles.

The officials of Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) is proposing to bring more transport services to create competition inside the Bacolod-Silay International airport. This is in a bid to improve passenger services from the airport to different areas in the province, thereby bringing down transport and fare costs.

MBCCI is proposing to replicate the transport services implemented in airports such as Manila, Cebu, Davao, and Cagayan de Oro where there are Grab cars and car-for-hire services on top of white metered taxis and yellow airport taxis.

MBCCI sees the initiative as timely, given the ongoing public-private partnership developments in the airport.

Cherry blossom trees, known as native to Japan, were spotted blooming at Barangay Biak-na-bato in La Castellana, a town in Negros Occidental. The trees have not yet been officially identified, but are said to be of the Palawan cherry blossom variety. While there is no advisory yet of when the flowers would be available for viewing to the public, locals say these trees are already visible along the road going to Canlaon City.

La Castellana is 57 km. away from Bacolod and is accessible via public and private transport, Ceres Liner buses, and other local transport service providers offering daily routes to and from the town.

The Ceres-Negros Football Club will be competing with Ha Noi T&T FC of Vietnam, after beating Tampines Rover FC of Singapore to a 5-0 score last March 7. The local team also competed with Felda United FC of Malaysia last March 15 which ended with a 0-0 score. Ceres Negros Football Club will once again defend their hometown at Panaad Park and Stadium this April 19 at 7:00 PM.

After the Holy week celebration, roof deck bar and restaurant L’ Fisher Chalet is holding Summer Love Dance 2017, the biggest music festival in the province. The event will be held on April 22, from 5:00 PM to 2:30 AM and will feature performances from Korky Buchek of Australia, Kouta Kutsuma, Mrkiii, Zelijah, and Borhuh from Manila, and Bacolod’s finest disc jockeys. Party goers can see the view of Bacolod City from the roof deck while enjoying the party. VIP tables will also be available. Tickets are sold at L’ Fisher Hotel, Miren Desserts Café, and Fresh Start Organic & Natural Store at SM City Bacolod.

With PAG-ASA declaring the start of the dry season last April 5, people planning to travel to Bacolod this week should watch out for extremely hot temperature, with some rain showers and thunderstorms in between. Some precautionary measures to enjoy the city include dressing for the weather in light-colored, breathable fabrics. To decrease the risk of dehydration, people are also urged to drink plenty of water. One must also avoid sun exposure by wearing wide-brimmed hats or sunglasses, using an umbrella, and applying sunscreen.

A total of 36 restaurants in Negros Occidental have now stopped serving Coca-Cola products and other beverages that use high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). These establishments are supporting the local sugar industry by banning the sale of Coca-Cola products and other beverages containing the alternative sweetener.

On the other hand, the Provincial Government Board has already approved the ban of the sponsorship and sale of Coca-Cola products in the annual Panaad sa Negros Festival this April 22 to 30. Coca-Cola FEMSA Philippines has filed an injunction against the order of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) on regulating the importation and use of HFCS as an alternative to locally produced sugar.

[*] Photo of Bacolod-Silay International Airport by Paolobon140 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons