The construction of the city’s museum-auditorium and multipurpose coliseum on a donated property in Barangay Tangub is set to start this year.

Mayor Evelio Leonardia announced the development before thousands of Bacolodnons who flocked to the Government Center grounds to welcome the New Year from Tuesday night to early Wednesday morning.

“In the coming weeks, at the most within the first quarter, we will start the construction of PHP163-million Bacolod museum through efforts of Senator (Juan Miguel) Zubiri,” he said.

In October 2018, the senator unveiled the architectural design of the two-structure green building, which is environmentally-responsible and resource-efficient.

Zubiri has tapped architect Leonilo Ramon Lichauco of the Manila-based LG+V Architect/Planners to design what he considers as a legacy project.

The two structures, which will each have two stories, will include a multipurpose museum and an 800-seater amphitheater.

Leonardia said the city will also see the construction of the PHP800-million Bacolod MassKara Coliseum in the coming months.

“It’s air-conditioned and will seat more or less 10,000 people,” he said.

The coliseum is among the four big-ticket projects being funded by the city government’s PHP1.7-billion loan from the Development Bank of the Philippines.

The project has already been granted an Environmental Compliance Certificate by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environment Management Bureau.

“I’m sure with our coliseum and museum already there, in a new growth area, Bacolod will never be the same again,” Leonardia said.

The site of the two projects, located in the southern part of Bacolod, is part of the 8.8-hectare property donated by the Yanson family to the city government.

In January last year, the mayor signed the two contracts of donation for the parcels of land that will not only be the site of the museum and the coliseum, but also of the future southbound terminal. (PNA)