In February 20, 1981, Pope John Paul II visited Bacolod City and celebrated a mass attended by close to a million devotees at the Bacolod Real Estate Development Corporation (BREDCO) area. Twenty nine years later, In February 18, 2010 the Pope John Paul II Tower was erected and inaugurated at a 706 square meter lot donated by the Palanca family, the owners of BREDCO after Fr. Felix Pascuin brought out the idea in 2008.
The location of the tower is the very same place where the pope celebrated the mass. The tower has eight floors and a viewing deck on the 7th floor that offer a glimpse of the splendid beauty of the downtown area and the coastline. Each floor has paintings and memorabilia of the pope and from his visit. These include commemorative coins, the chair on which he sat, the vestment he wore, the table napkin, spoon, fork and plate he used and several photographs of the pope contributed by devotees.
The entrance of the tower houses an eight-foot synthetic bronze and fiberglass statue of the pope created by Brother Tagoy Jakosalem.
The Pope John Paull II Tower more than a tourist attraction is a symbol of how strong the faith in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental.