The city government of Bacolod has released food vouchers worth a total of P500,000 for tenants of the Manokan Country in Bacolod.

CHICKEN inasal is served at temporary stalls at Manokan Country at the terminal hub of SM City Bacolod. (Photo via John Dale Salazar)
Councilor Celia Flor, chairperson of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) Committee on Markets, in a radio interview, said that the food vouchers with QR code can only be used from Feb. 3 to 16.
The vouchers amounting to P150 each can only be availed of in the recipient stall, she added.
These have been printed and released to councilors who were tasked to distribute them to the public.
Flor said that the money for these vouchers came from Bacolod City Mayor Albee Benitez’s personal fund to support the tenants temporarily occupying the terminal hub of SM City Bacolod while the renovation of the existing Manokan Country is ongoing.
The P4-billion redevelopment project of the iconic Manokan Country aims to boost tourism and economic growth in this city. It is tentatively targeted to operate by this year.
Hans T. Sy, during his visit here last week, said that their collaboration with the local government in the redevelopment project aims to create a future-ready and disaster-resilient infrastructure, one that enhances this unique and "manamit" Bacolod experience for both locals and tourists.
Sy, executive committee chairman of SM Prime Holdings Inc., said that a revitalized Manokan Country will ensure that it remains a beacon for tourism and a source of economic progress for its community of tenants who have made it a cherished part of Bacolod's heritage.
“It is not just a dining destination, but a symbol of Bacolod's identity, a popular first stop upon arriving in the city,” he added.
Sy said that their commitment to the growth and well-being of Manokan tenants is firm.
“We will provide financial literacy workshops, safer, new and more sustainable facilities and a beautiful building that will surely bring in more customers,” he added.
Sy noted that this redevelopment is more than a structural upgrade, it is a step towards preserving Bacolod's traditions while embracing its potential as a world-class city like European markets and food hall destinations Madrid and Barcelona, Spain and London, England.