This Week in Bacolod (April 22 to 28, 2018)

There will be periods of warmth on April 23 to 24, but Bacolod will still be largely drenched by thunderstorms throughout the week. According to AccuWeather Forecast, the minimum temperature will be at 25 °C, while the maximum temperature will be at 34 °C [1]. It is advised to bring umbrellas and raincoats during the week to be prepared for downpours.

PhP2 is expected to be added to the fares of some southbound Ceres Liner buses this week. Affected routes are trips to and from Bacolod to the following destinations: Canlaon City, Ma-ao, La Carlota, and La Castellana [2]. Tourists who are planning to visit some sugar beaches in Sipalay or some waterfalls in the South should prepare for the fare hike. Since there is also a colorum crackdown nationwide, the government advised to avoid riding in contractual taxis heading to the destinations mentioned for safety and protection.

Due to the closure of Boracay Island starting April 26, Cebu Pacific eyes to redeploy some of its flights to Bacolod City. Charo Lagamon, Cebu Pacific corporate communications director said that the airline sees it as an opportunity to promote other destinations in the country and they hope that passengers will choose Bacolod and experience neighboring cities and beaches [3]. Bacolod City ranks second next to Aklan in the number of tourist arrivals in Western Visayas, and it is seen one of the destinations that will receive an influx of tourists following Boracay’s rehabilitation.

Because of the ever-increasing demand of hotel rooms in Bacolod City, the province of Negros Occidental provided a way of addressing the issue by running a hotel. This week, locals and visitors will be able to see Negros First Hotel as they pass along Gatuslao Street. The hotel was formerly known as Sweet City Captel, a home for locals and tourists who prefer affordable rates. The place is still under construction and is slated to open soon. Locals and tourists can expect better facilities and more rooms at reasonable rates.

Mambukal Mountain Resort is one of the premier tourism destinations in Negros Occidental. The resort is owned and operated by the provincial government, and one of its projects this year is the Mambukal Convention Hotel, which is about to be completed. The existing facilities like the villas in the resort are not enough to cater to the increasing number of visitors, but with this development, more visitors and tourists can be accommodated [4]. Currently, it is advised to make reservations before going to the resort since accommodations are still lacking while the construction of the hotel is underway.