Bountiful Bacolod

I’ve always been fascinated by the island of Negros — its towns and cities marked by colorful life sweetened literally by an economy that has, for the last two centuries, been based on sugar. That economy has changed but life goes on and other sources of wealth add to the island’s primary industry, driving a province and its capital city of Bacolod into this new millennium with as much gusto as it did in its halcyon days of the late 19th century.

That fin de siecle boom produced a city as modern as Manila with architecture and landmarks that rivaled other leading cities in the Philippines. That’s why I jumped at the invitation of Robinsons Land to come over to cover the 10th anniversary of what has been for the last decade the leading landmark for shopping and leisure in province: Robinsons Bacolod.

Bacolod is the gateway to the province. I espied the new Silay airport on the approach to the Bacolod airport — an indication of the island’s vibrant economy and the prospects of tourism (a quarter million visitors last year) and business that seems to be up. 

Bacolod is the capital city of Negros Occidental and here one gets to experience the hospitality of its warm people, rich culture and delightfully sinful cuisine. The city is home to the popular Mardi Gras-inspired Maskara Festival and the Panaad sa Negros, the province’s annual celebration. I haven’t attended these festivals but I’m satisfied with just touring the city streets and discovering heritage architecture from the Spanish era to the American and Commonwealth periods and on to the international-style architecture of the ‘50s and ‘60s (the modernist PNB building still stands as one of the city’s tallest structures).

The first site I visited (the evening that I flew in and on time via Cebu Pacific) was the Bacolod Provincial Capitol grounds. Dusk had just set in and brought out the ephemeral beauty of Juan Arellano’s provincial capitol reflected in the large formal pool that fronts it. I managed to get some great photos of this building, which I consider, along with its tastefully designed grounds, one of the most beautiful provincial capitols in the country. I went back the next morning to walk about more and admire the statuary of Francesco Monti that embellished the building and its ground.

My host, knowing my love of Philippine architecture, took me on a tour of the city and nearby Bago. (I would have liked to visit Silay but did not have the time.) Art deco houses of the sugar barons are still in evidence as they are in Iloilo but sadly many of these pre-war and immediate post-war demesnes have been torn down for the city’s expansion. That said, the city still has much of its rich architectural heritage intact and it should conserve these. Maybe Carlos Celdran could visit and conduct special tours of the place.

I also did a lot of walking at the city plaza and the surrounding commercial areas. The plaza is wonderful with its Monti-sculpted fountains, which are all well maintained, along with the central gazebo (probably also by Juan Arellano) still holding court in front of the city’s main church.

I also noted many new developments — the port improvements, cafes and restaurants — springing up along with call centers and new subdivisions. I met the city’s charismatic Mayor Evelio Leonardia and he briefed me his plans for the city, the new city hall complex that was soon to be inaugurated, the possible retention of the old airport to complement the new one in Silay, the growing number of businesses (over 1,700 new businesses in last year alone), schools and commercial developments (Convergys is set to open early next year) in the city.

The good mayor noted that it was Robinsons Land Corporation (RLC) that pioneered big commercial projects in the province, deciding in the late 1990s to put up its first shopping mall in Western Visayas. It was envisioned to be modern-looking and fresh, offering Bacoleños and Negrenses the convenience of Manila-style shopping, great dining and entertainment.  It opened with much fanfare in July 1997, with all the major chains of shops and restaurants from Manila plus a wonderful array of local establishments like The Pastry Shop of Bob’s, El Rincon, Bacolod Lechon Hauz, Junie’s, Cake House, Big Ben Original Levi’s Store, Chez Rose, Basix, Pelts X’Press, Nine Eleven, and Galleon.  Ten years after, these tenants plus others have remained in Robinsons Place Bacolod’s loyal stable of tenants with an even more loyal clientele.

“We are humbled that we have made it into our 10th year, weathering all the challenges that came by,” said Joseph Sian, Group Propery manager for Robinsons Bacolod.  “Renovations have been undertaken to include a cozier food court area, a certified WiFi zone on level 3 to synergize with the newly refurbished Robinsons Movieworld cinemas.  The world’s No. 1 toy store, Toys ‘R’ Us, and Robinsons Appliance Center have also opened, providing another new dimension to the mall’s shopping experience.  Our shoppers and patrons can also look forward to the opening of National Book Store, Geox and Alberto, Octagon, Spirits Lifestyle, Bongbong’s Pasalubong Center, and July Boutique in the next couple of months,” adds Sian. 

 “Rob,” as most loyal patrons refer to the mall, has also become a certified pasyalan ng bayan with almost 103 million visitors to date. The mall continues to be the place for fans to meet and greet their favorite stars and cartoon characters, and it has become an established alternative venue for school competitions, recitals, exhibits and fashion shows.

Superstars and ace performers Gary V, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Martin Nievera, Aga Muhlach, Piolo Pascual, Kristine Hermosa, Sarah Geronimo, Claudine Barretto, bands Cueshe and Callalily, and lovable characters like Dora, Spongebob, the Power Puff Girls, Winnie the Pooh, and Snoopy have made experiences at Robinsons Place Bacolod truly memorable. 

While there I witnessed the launch of plans to expand the mall with a lifestyle center at the vacant property located right behind the existing mall.  “We are pretty excited with our concept for the Bacolod mall expansion. We will be bringing a fresh concept that will captivate the discriminating tastes of the Negrenses and complement their laid-back lifestyle.   A night-life strip, spas and salons plus a wellness center and a hobbyists’ corner are some formats that will be included in our tenant mix,” explains Nilo Mapa, Robinsons Malls general manager.  Noted Filipino architect Willy Coscolluela, who just launched his coffee-table book, is the designer of this new project.

After 10 years, Robinsons Place Bacolod has joined the ranks of other Bacolod landmarks and today defines the city’s sense of place as much as the older structures. With its rich treasure trove of distinctive buildings and the vibrancy that continues in newer destinations, Bacolod is set to claim its place among the country’s premier cities.

Hopefully its plans of urban expansion will be set in the context of a rational metropolitan plan with emphasis on conservation, proper landscape and urban design. Then Bacolod will experience the sweet taste of success without fail.

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Speaking about success: Congratulations to my brother — award winning film director Mike Alcazaren — for his winning the Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature first prize in the screenplay category. His winning entry is a story of Ninoy Aquino’s military incarceration and trial. I can’t wait for him to turn this into a movie. (He’s guaranteed me a cameo role and I look forward to being discovered as a character actor.)

Feedback is welcome. Please e-mail the writer at paulo.alcazaren@gmail.com.