PGMA confident Bacolod will soon become a tourist and call center destination in Negros

BACOLOD CITY, Oct. 4 (PNA) -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo predicted that Bacolod will soon become "a tourism and call center destination" despite the presence of people with "ideological nonsense" in Negros Occidental province.

The President led the formal opening of the 29th Masskara Festival at the Bacolod City Plaza here Wednesday morning.

"The Communist rebels used to impede the progress and development of a number of rural areas ug naga-martsa pa sa sentro sang Bacolod. They are responsible for a wide range of human rights abuses," the President said.

"Bacolod will become a tourism and call center destination because we are succeeding in putting a stop to their ideological nonsense and their criminal acts," she told thousands residents, local officials, students and employees who gathered at the plaza.

The President told Bacolodnons that the national government remain bullish on Bacolod. "We remain optimistic about your future," she stressed.

While she was obviously distracted by the lightning protest staged by a small group of militants, the President showed not affected by the situation, instead, she continued her address.

In her speech, she lambasted the left for their continued complaining instead of helping the government in its effort to become globally and economically competitive.

During the program, the President joined the local officials, participants and residents in releasing colorful balloons to formally open the world-famous Masskara Festival which begins Thursday and ends on October 19.

Assisting the President in the releasing of balloons were Cabinet Officer for Regional Development (CORD 8) and Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales, Negros Occidental Governor Isidro Zayco, Bacolod City lone district Representative Monico Puentevella, Negros Occidental 3rd District Representative Jose Carlos Lacson, Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia and Presidential Assistant for Western Visayas Raul Banias.

Meanwhile, Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia thanked the President for visiting Bacolod to personally lead the opening the 29th Masskara Festival.