Reviving Capitol Shopping Center as Bacolod Chinatown Center

The Bacolod Capitol Shopping Center is known as the Chinatown of Bacolod City because of the numerous Chinese business establishments in the area. Perhaps, only a few Bacolodnons, especially the younger generations, knew that it is a tragedy which gave birth to Shopping.

In 1955, a big fire gutted the area bounded by Araneta, Gonzaga, Locsin and Luzuriaga which is growing commercial center where most Chinese business establishments were located. The business establishments also doubled as residents so these Chinese were also displaced because of the fire.

Alfredo Montelibano Sr. saw an opportunity to attract the displaced Chinese businessmen so he developed the 27-hectare property north of Bacolod which gave way to the Capitol Shopping Center. Mr. Montelibano also donated a half-hectare property to the Bacolod Chinese Catholic Association where Hua Ming School and church are now located.

The Montelibano family have already transformed what used to be cogonland into Villamonte Subdivision and the upscale Capitolville Subdivision. During the time that the Capitol Shopping Center was being constructed, La Salle Bacolod and St. Scholastica Academy were already operating not far from Shopping. It’s not surprising then that the area became a prominent commercial center in Bacolod after its completion.

However, through the years, various business establishments re-opened in Bacolod downtown area and big malls opened in the city which took away customers from the Shopping area. Years of neglect have deteriorated most establishments in the Shopping area and even parts of the roads need to be rehabilitated.  Capitol Shopping Center has lost its luster as a business center and no longer attracted investments and only a few new establishments located in the area in recent years.

In the hope of reviving the once prime commercial district, Bacolod City Mayor Bing Leonardia recently signed City Ordinance no. 576 naming the Capitol Shopping Center as the Bacolod City Chinatown. The ordinance was authored by Councilor Dindo Ramos and co-authored by Councilor Em Ang stipulated that the city government will appropriate at least P15 million initial funding for the improvement of the infrastructure such as the welcome arch, greening and landscaping as well as road concreting. The city government, through the ordinance, hoped to attract investors by returning up to 70% of the cost of a project that will be put up at the Chinatown Center in the form of tax credits spread over five years.

The revival of the Capitol Shopping as the Bacolod Chinatown was lauded by the Filipino-Chinese Community since the Chinatown has been an important economic, cultural and spiritual hub for the Filipino-Chinese in Bacolod City.

Just like the way the Filipino-Chinese have risen from the ashes of the great fire of 1955, the renewal of interest in the Bacolod Chinatown Center will hopefully give way to the rebirth of the once robust business center.