Bacolod Public Plaza

By: Raynier Dominic G. Rivera

Bacolod Public Plaza-is known of the “Bacolod Plaza Bandstand and Gazebo” Because right at the center of Bacolod Public Plaza, the bandstand was constructed in 1927 to complement to weekend cultural activities of the early Bacolecos. This is named of world-famous composers like Mozart, Bach, Beethoven and Wagner circle the sides of the roofing, attesting to the early Bacolodnon’s familiarity with European Culture. A proof of the early Negrenses familiarity with Culture that they have. The plaza constructed in 1927 a place for recreation, political, spiritual and cultural activities. A quite a popular site for outdoor picnics and concerts. Often used to house a bandstand and inscribed along the sides of the roof are the Western Classical music composers.

 I went to this places because of one of the notable landmarks of Bacolod City, located in the heart of the downtown area. Near the city hall and across from the San Sebastian Cathedral. Plaza is a trapezoidal park with the belt of trees around the periphery and a gazebo at the center. The heart of the Bacolod city can do a lot of things that they want to have even the Masskara Festival celebration. The festival stop here at the Public Plaza to see the people. Where this is perform the street dance competition. Final destination of the tourist because there will be a showing about the parade in this place.

This is both park and plaza for the people of Negros. Having a good quality at this structure of plaza in Negros. You can see in the picture that it’s clean and no vendors that the side of the plaza of Bacolod. Plaza has turned into a virtual Masskara park with the lighting up of the bandstand. They called the plaza or park as a “City of Smiles”. Because you can get a Good vibes if you stay there and the other one is happy vibes.

You want to know where did the Public Plaza go? Actually it’s not really covered by the kiosks, giant billboards would hide it from the streets because not many Bacoleños are aware of how majestic the plaza once was. All I know that this kind of topic will always start with Nostalgia. But it is for nostalgic reasons why Bacoleños should be concerned with what’s happening to the ever iconic landmark that is now slowly being covered up and pushed aside.

In my opinion in this plaza that they need to have a concern because no one wants to do anything with the plaza anymore. There’s even a slim chance of seeing those fountains works. It is obviously easier for people to walk from the Cathedral. But sometimes I feel like more attention is being paid to this newly built landmark than the decades old one that is slowly becoming irrelevant.  It is also a nice place to walk around and think.