BACOLOD CITY — Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri has committed to facilitate the release of P150-million fund for the construction of a three-story Bacolod museum next year.
Zubiri, who was here Saturday for the turnover of the P10-million plaza development project he facilitated for Bacolod, said in a media briefing that the budget will be sourced from the 2019 national budget.
“This is a flagship project, one with major impact to Bacolod, from my initiative in the 2019 budget,” the senator said. “The budget hearings will start in July after the Senate session resumes. I will make sure to protect the funding for Bacolod City,” he said.
Zubiri said he is endorsing to Mayor Evelio Leonardia three architectural designs for the museum for arts and culture.
“The name will vary depending on the approval of the City Council and the city government. Our plan is to set up a multi-story building. If the mayor will allow me, I will endorse to him three plans. They can pick from the three designs,” he added.
For his part, Leonardia thanked the senator for the project, which he described as “a dream come true and something beyond what we expected”.
Zubiri said his architect friends proposed to build an “iconic” building with three to four floors.
The first two floors will house the MassKara museum, which will display the masks and garments used by performers of the world-famous MassKara festival held every October, while the top floor will house an amphitheater.
“We’re very excited. It’s up to the mayor to choose the location,” he added.
Zubiri, whose father’s side of the family hails from Negros Occidental, said he wants to bring this flagship project to his home city and province as a lasting legacy of Bacolod.
He recalled spending his summers as a young boy at his grandmother’s house on 21st Street here.
“If the construction needs up to PHP200 million, we will still finish it with one single budget, but so far the estimate is PHP150 million. At least, I can provide assistance to Bacolod City with this one time, big time project,” he added.
Zubiri said he will work for the single release of the fund to ensure that the project will be completed.
“Once the 2019 budget available in January, by February we can start the bidding, and then start the construction or groundbreaking before the election ban,” he added. (Nanette Guadalquiver/PNA)