THE Bacolod City Council will hold a public hearing Tuesday, October 10, on the proposed lease agreement between the city government and SM Prime Holdings Inc. for the development of the Manokan Country, and Vendors’ Plaza towards the Commission on Elections (Comelec) local office.
Councilor Al Victor Espino, chairperson of the City Council committee on laws, said Monday, October 9, the hearing will be held at the Sangguniang Panlungsod at 2 p.m. along with the representatives of SM Prime Holdings Inc.
He said they will also accommodate the tenants of Manokan Country who are willing to attend the hearing.
After the hearing, he added that they will make a committee report, and once it is adopted by the Council, they will proceed to allow Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez to sign the memorandum of agreement.
Benitez earlier said that after the signing of the agreement in October, SM Prime can now proceed with the development of the said areas.
He said the SM Prime also promised to provide a temporary area for the tenants of Manokan Country to continue their operations while the development is ongoing, adding that the SM Prime offered to provide their parking area across the street in Manokan Country as a temporary location for the tenants.
Benitez disclosed that SM Prime will invest at least P4 billion for the development of the three-hectare area, adding that it’s part of the plan to put up two towers to accommodate business process outsourcing (BPO) establishments in the area.*
