This Week in Bacolod (August 12 to 18, 2018)

Just when Bacoleños heaved a collective sigh of relief after the worst of low pressure areas had passed, more rains are still expected to come for Bacolod City. Heavy rain showers are expected, specifically from August 12 to 16, and thunderstorms will be experienced most likely from August 17 to 18 [1]. Tourists coming to the City of Smiles this week are advised to prepare themselves for flash floods and power outages. It is also best to always bring an umbrella for protection from the rain.

Flash floods hit major roads as rains continued to pour in Bacolod City last week. Aside from the continuous showers, massive garbage and an unfinished drainage project are also major factors of the floods. It is expected that flooded streets will cause traffic jams and it is best to avoid streets like Araneta and Lacson when driving. The rehabilitation of the flood control project is still ongoing since the completion date will be in November. The existing drainage system is still the one operating so it will be expected that there will still be floods until the new drainage system will become operational [2].

The Provincial Government, in cooperation with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and SM City Bacolod, will organize another Passport on Wheels on September 6 at SM City Bacolod Atrium. A total of 500 passport applicants in Negros Occidental will get to have the chance to process their applications immediately. The DFA will fly in 17 of its staff from the central office to process these applications [3]. This is great news for locals who are having difficulty in processing their passports or scheduling an appointment online. The same event will be sponsored by the City Government of Kabankalan which will also cater around 500 applicants.

Sipalay City, located in the southern part Negros Occidental, is now crafting a sustainable tourism development plan to avoid great damage to the environment. This is also a response to the closure of Boracay Island, and the threats of closure to some island beaches like Panglao in Bohol and Isla de Gigantes in Iloilo. Having the second highest percentage of foreign tourist arrivals in Western Visayas last year, the high tourism arrival in the city means that there is also a need to comply with environmental protocols and procedures for the protection of natural resources [4].

The Department of Tourism (DOT) will ensure that environmental protocols and procedures are put in place to make Patag Valley in Silay City a sustainable tourism destination. Patag Valley, with its increasing popularity to locals and tourists, is one of the cheapest escapes in Central Negros. The popularity of the resorts and views started increasing after the development of Silay-Patag road was finished. With the increasing number of local and foreign tourist arrivals in the place, it is for the best that abiding to the environmental protocols is under close watch [5].