By GLAZYL MASCULINO
BACOLOD CITY – Mayor Albee Benitez ordered the City Legal Office (CLO) to enforce the closure of all stalls of Manokan Country at the reclamation area in Barangay 12 here on Tuesday, July 16.
STALLS of Manokan Country in Barangay 12, Bacolod City are cordoned to prepare for the clearing of the structures to give way for the P4-billion redevelopment project of SM Prime Holdings. (Photo courtesy of John Dale Salazar)
Benitez said that negotiations with tenants seem to be their delaying tactics. “Until when are we going to talk about this? In this case, the stalls will be closed,” he added.
Benitez said that originally, the tenants were given 30 days to vacate their stalls to give way for the P4-billion redevelopment project of SM Prime Holdings Inc. (SPHI) at the iconic Manokan Country.
But none of these tenants signified to transfer to the temporary facility provided to them at the parking area of SM City Bacolod just across the Manokan Country despite a series of meeting with them to address their concerns.
Early this month, tenants put up posters and tarpaulins to oppose the demolition of the structure.
A two-week extension was given by the city to the tenants after the July 5 deadline as the temporary facility was not yet ready that time.
“I was given a compromise agreement, we accepted it, but it seems that they don’t have interest to follow the agreement,” Benitez said tenants again put up posters outside their stalls opposing the move.
He said that the city will proceed with the enforcement of the closure. “This is final. The demolition has already started,” he added.
Despite this, Benitez said that he is open to talking to tenants after the closure of the Manokan Country. If the tenants will file a case against the city for their action, Benitez said that they are ready to face it.
Benitez said that if the tenants still refused to transfer to the temporary facility, the city, through the City Legal Office (CLO), will tap their employees to run the temporary Manokan place.
Based on the records of the Business and Permits Licensing Office (BPLO), only 61 employees have been declared by the tenants, according to Benitez.
A temporary road closure was also implemented for the clearing activity of structures within the Manokan Country, Vendor’s Plaza, and jeepney terminal, on Fr. M. Ferrero St. (from corner of Rizal St. to the corner of Burgos St.) on July 15.