BACOLOD CITY – An ordinance establishing the management and operational plan for the Bacolod Museum and Auditorium, creating the Bacolod Museum and Auditorium Management Board, was recently passed on first reading by the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod.
Authored by Councilor Em Ang, the proposed ordinance said the City Government of Bacolod recognizes culture, arts, and heritage as essential to the identity, social cohesion, and development of Bacolodnons.
The newly constructed Bacolod Museum and Auditorium, along the Carlos Hilado Circumferential Highway in Barangay Pahanocoy, Bacolod City is intended to serve as a premier venue for cultural exhibits, historical preservation, performances, conventions, and educational activities, it said.
To ensure the facility is properly maintained, accessible, and utilized for the benefit of the public while adhering to national and international museum standards, there is a need to establish a comprehensive management structure and operational framework, the ordinance said.
To be known as the “Bacolod Museum and Auditorium Management and Operations Ordinance of 2026,” the measure provides for the creation of the Bacolod Museum and Auditorium Management Board to serve as the policy-making and oversight body, to be headed by the City Mayor or a duly authorized representative.
The Auditorium and designated open grounds will be available for performances, lectures, conventions, and government programs on a reserved basis.
Organizers of commercial or private events must sign a binding rental contract and post a security/damage cash bond prior to ingress, which shall be refundable subject to clearance from the facility manager.
The facility will also designate specific areas for a museum café and a souvenir shop.
Meanwhile, the SP also passed on first reading an ordinance establishing the management, operational guidelines, and financial framework for the MassKara Coliseum in Bacolod City, creating its management board.
The ordinance authored by Ang said that the MassKara Coliseum, a state-of-the-art facility with an estimated capacity of up to 11,450 persons for conventions, 7,800 for basketball games, and over 10,000 for large-scale events, is nearing completion.
The coliseum is expected to be a premier hub for various events, including sports, concerts, conventions, and cultural activities, thereby promoting tourism and accelerating economic growth in Bacolod City, it said.
To ensure the facility’s long-term sustainability, it is imperative to operate the coliseum as a Local Economic Enterprise (LEE) under a clear, efficient, and effective management and operational plan, the ordinance said.
To be known as the “MassKara Coliseum Management and Operations Code of Bacolod City,” the measure provides for the creation of the MassKara Coliseum Management Board (MCMB) to be headed by the city mayor to oversee the strategic direction of the coliseum.
The coliseum will allocate specific areas for commercial leasing (e.g., food stalls, merchandise booths). The leasing of these spaces will be subject to public bidding or standard government lease guidelines, ensuring priority is given to Bacolod-registered businesses.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod will pass a separate ordinance detailing the exact tariff for: full-day and half-day facility rentals (differentiated by commercial/ticketed events vs. non-profit/civic events), rehearsal and ingress/egress rates, parking fees.
All revenues derived from rentals, concessions, parking, and naming rights will accrue to a designated special account under the General Fund. At least sixty percent of these funds
will be appropriated for the maintenance, repair, utilities, and upgrading of the coliseum. (Chrysee Semillano via tvds photo by pna)