As Bacolod City gears up for a vibrant New Year Countdown to welcome 2025, its neighboring city, Victorias, faces a more subdued transition into the new year.
Leading these contrasting celebrations are a father-and-son mayors: Bacolod Mayor Alfredo “Albee” Benitez and Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel “Javi” Benitez.
In Victorias, Mayor Javi Benitez has canceled the city’s New Year festivities to prioritize disaster response efforts. Since December 22, relentless rains have caused severe flooding, displacing eight families in Barangay 21.
“This is the first flooding of such magnitude we’ve experienced, despite our efforts to improve drainage, dredge waterways, and implement flood control measures since 2022,” Javi said.
The mayor will convene the Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (DRRMC) and other stakeholders on January 6 to plan immediate and long-term solutions to the predicament.
Meanwhile, he has mobilized volunteers and city workers to clear clogged drainage canals, map floodwater paths, and identify potential water egress points.
In stark contrast, Bacolod City is preparing for a vibrant New Year’s Eve celebration led by Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran on behalf of Mayor Albee Benitez, Javi’s father.
Dubbed “High Five to 2025,” Bacolod’s New Year Countdown celebrates the city’s 2024 achievements and sets the stage for future milestones, he said.
Familiaran said the event would provide an evening filled with excitement and entertainment, featuring acoustic performances, a comedy show, raffle prizes, and a grand fireworks display at midnight to illuminate the City of Smiles.
Meanwhile, the festivities will begin at 7 p.m. with live music, followed by a pre-show starting at 8 p.m. Comedy performances will entertain the audience from 10 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., leading to minor prize raffles at 11:30 p.m. The event will conclude with a grand raffle and a spectacular fireworks display at midnight, Familiaran added.
Reymund Titong is a Filipino journalist steadily building his voice in the field of news reporting, driven by a commitment to tell meaningful and relevant stories.
He serves as a correspondent for Rappler, maintains a personal blog on Medium, and is the communications officer of Hope Builders Organization Negros Island.