Bacolod City bagged the 2021 Most Business-Friendly Local Government Unit (LGU) Award under the category of highly-urbanized cities outside the National Capital Region (NCR) in the search organized by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI).

This is the second time Bacolod, the capital city of Negros Occidental, won the top honors after clinching the same award in 2007.

“This day belongs to the people of Bacolod,” Mayor Evelio Leonardia said in his message before a gathering of representatives from the business sector at the Bacolod Government Center here.

Officials of the PCCI announced the winners during the last day of the 47th Philippine Business Conference and Expo held at the Marriott Grand Ballroom in Pasay City, which was streamed live in the local event witnessed by business leaders led by Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Roberto Montelibano and chief executive officer Frank Carbon, who is also PCCI vice president for the Visayas.

 In the highly-urbanized cities outside NCR category, Bacolod bested 10 other finalists, including Angeles, Baguio, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, General Santos City, Iloilo, Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, Olongapo and Zamboanga.

Leonardia believes that after receiving its second Most Business-Friendly LGU Award, the city will be catapulted to even greater heights.

“Once we surmount this pandemic, once we are over the hump so to speak, Bacolod will be back on track and Bacolod will again accelerate,” he added.

Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran said receiving this year’s recognition is a proud moment for Bacolod.

“This is a significant milestone of how we ensure the lives of our citizens. More importantly, this shows the importance of how the people of Bacolod City collectively show the values of dedication and commitment for the betterment of our society,” he added.

This year’s search, which highlights the “LGUs’ Innovative Response for the Recovery and Growth of Business,” selected as winners “LGUs that have been successfully restoring and increasing the business operations in their area through significant and sustained innovative actions amidst the extreme challenges brought about by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic”.

Aligned with the 47th Philippine Business Conference’s theme “innovation.ph: Economic Recovery for All”, this year’s LGU awards initiative highlighted success stories and best practices that go beyond mere compliance to address the overwhelming negative impacts of the current pandemic to the business community.

Criteria for the award, which focuses on essential indicators, included energizing economic development through ease of doing business initiatives as well as health and safety-related initiatives carried out by the LGU to address COVID-19 challenges.PNA