Bacolod fetes Kevin Tan for P45 billion in investments
Kevin Tan (center) with first lady Liza Araneta Marcos in Bacolod.
MANILA, Philippines — The city government of Bacolod passed a resolution declaring Megaworld chief strategy officer and Alliance Global Inc. vice chair Kevin L. Tan as an adopted son, citing his vision and efforts for the City of Smiles.
City Councilor Jason Villarosa said Resolution No. 885 Series of 2022 recognizes Tan as “integral to Megaworld’s vision of uplifting lives, impacting society, and helping shape the nation.”
Tan “shares his father’s vision to help generate 250,000 direct and indirect jobs in Bacolod City and in the entire province of Negros in BPOs (business process outsourcing), commercial, retail, hospitality, transport, and estate management, among others. It further recognized Tan’s notable future goals which include “creating employment for over 5 million Filipinos and shifting his company to become carbon neutral by 2035,” the councilor said.
The announcement was made on Sunday morning following the ceremonial tree planting activity held for first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos at Megaworld’s Upper East township in Bacolod, one of the main venues for this year’s MassKara Festival. Megaworld dedicated a native tree to her, calling it the “Liza Araneta-Marcos Tree.”
Tan, speaking on behalf of Megaworld and Alliance Global, said the company was “privileged to dedicate this native Bitaog tree to your honor.”
“I’m sure this township is very close to your heart. I was told that your father used to head the operations for the BMMC (Bacolod-Murcia Milling Company) back in the day and that’s why we are very happy to honor you with this Bitaog tree,” Tan said in a speech.
The BMMC site is being developed into the 34-hectare Upper East township, a future central business district in the province. It will host residential condominiums, malls and commercial centers, mixed-use buildings, state-of-the-art office towers and hotels, with its own transport hub, church, as well as green and open parks and a central plaza.
The Upper East was also formally inaugurated on Sunday with the unveiling of the township marker led by President Marcos and Tan.
“It is a big day, what we had just done here, and it is particularly important to me because if you have been listening to what the plans of the government are going to be… in the next few years to transform the economy and to be able to compete and to succeed in the new global postpandemic economy, you will have heard many times (how) we’ve talked about the coordination and synchronization between the public sector and the private sector. That is what Megaworld and Kevin here have shown that this is really the way forward to the future,” Mr. Marcos said.
“Throughout our 33 years as a company, we at Megaworld have been in the business of investing in next-generation cities and provinces in the country like Bacolod. Mr. President, inspired by your mandate to create jobs and the confidence you have brought to the business community, we are convinced now more than ever to pour in more investments in areas where we are present,” Tan meanwhile said.
Megaworld has invested a total of P45 billion in Bacolod, of which P38 billion is allotted for The Upper East. The rest is for Megaworld’s 54-ha Northill Gateway township located along the Bacolod-Silay Airport Access Road within the boundary of Talisay City and Bacolod City.
The property giant’s investment in the province is expected to generate more than 500,000 direct and indirect jobs in Negros Occidental.
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