BACOLOD City – The City Legal Office has given illegal occupants an ultimatum to vacate the Vendor’s Plaza here.
City Legal Officer Romeo Carlos Ting Jr. said settlers and vendors who are not paying their fees with the city have until the end of the year.
A 40-year lease agreement between the city government and a developer giant was signed on Friday, Oct. 20, at the Bacolod City Government Center.
The agreement included an annual rental fee of P21.26 million, subject to a five percent escalation rate every three years, for the development of Manokan Country.
Development works will also include the Vendor’s Plaza and and Bacolod Youth and Sports Center, among other nearby properties, Ting said.
About 18 vendors affected by the rehabilitation were also recently issued a notice to vacate the San Juan and Fr. Ferrero streets.
According to Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, after the agreement signing, the developer turned over P131.89 million for seven years’ worth of advance rental payments.
“They also agreed to preserve the cultural identity of the Manokan Country, which should have an open kitchen so that the chicken cooking process would be visible to customers,” Benitez said./PN
