Only 14 Manokan Country tenants to transfer to SM hub

OF THE 27 tenants at the Manokan Country in Bacolod City, only 14 of them were recommended by the City Legal Office (CLO) to SM Prime Holdings Inc. to transfer temporarily to the terminal hub of the mall for the construction of the Monakan Country building in next month, City Legal Officer Romeo Carlos Ting, Jr. said Thursday, May 2.

Ting said of 27 tenants, 13 of them failed to settle their arrears at the City Treasurer’s Office (CTO).

“Only 14 of them with updated payments so those who failed to settle their accounts will not be included on the list to avail of the free location at the SM Mall in June,” he said.

He added the tenants were also required by the mall to submit their business permit among others, so that they will be accommodated in the area.

Ting noted that the tenants will be given enough space at the terminal hub and it’s like a food court setup.

In 2022, at least 15 stalls at the Manokan Country were shut down by the CLO for failure to secure sanitary and business permits, which is a violation of City Ordinance No. 565 Series of 2011.

The tenants were also given enough time to settle their accounts reaching P8.6 million.

The contractor of SM Prime Holdings Inc. already put up a fence from the Bacolod Vendor’s Plaza so they can start the development of the area towards the Manokan Country.

Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez already inspected the temporary area of the tenants of the Manokan Country and some of the comments include not enough space.

“We will check if the SM Prime can expand the area,” he said.

He added the tenants should transfer in June and there will be no extension so that SM Prime can also start the construction of the Manokan Country building.

On October 20, 2023, the city government of Bacolod signed a contract agreement with SM Prime for the redevelopment of the iconic Manokan Country.

The SM Prime already turned over P131.89 million to the city government for the redevelopment of the iconic Manokan Country.

The P131.89 million represents seven years of advance rental payments for Manokan Country, under the 40-year lease agreement with the city at an annual rental fee of P21.26 million, subject to a 5 percent escalation rate every three years.

Moreover, Benitez said it’s also their plan to create another Manokan Country in the north, east, and south areas of Bacolod.*map