THE City Government of Bacolod is set to demolish at least 18 stalls at Corner San Juan Street towards Corner Ferrero Street near the Manokan Country, City Legal Officer Romeo Carlos Ting, Jr., said Tuesday, October 17.
Ting said these stalls include those selling flowers, purified drinking water, and sari-sari stores.
“They will be considered as informal settlers and they need to vacate the area since SM Prime Holdings Inc. will develop the areas of Manokan Country, Vendors’ Plaza towards the Commission on Elections (Comelec) local office through the public-private-partnership-program (PPPP), he said.
He added the 18 stalls are not part of the Manokan Country tenants.
“Maybe they are not paying the city’s rental so they need to find a new location to transfer their business,” Ting said.
He said that they already identified the tenants of the Manokan Country and they also accepted the proposed plans of SM that they will be temporarily accommodated at the terminal hub of the mall starting January 2024 for free for 14 months, adding that they will only pay for their utilities.
Ting noted that the 18 stall owners are also aware that they will be removed from the area since the SM along with the city government will develop the Manokan Country.
He said they would issue a demand letter to the 18 stall owners in November to vacate the area.
SM Prime already presented its perspective plan to the members of the City Council for the development of Manokan Country, the Vendors’ Plaza, towards the Comelec local office.
Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez earlier said that SM Prime is committed to investing P4 billion in the implementation of the said project, which will create more jobs in the city.
He said they agreed with SM Prime to preserve the cultural identity of the Manokan Country, and they should have an open kitchen so that it will be visible to the customers how they cook the chicken.
