BACOLOD City – The Permits and License Division (PLD) of Bacolod City has issued a stop order to 13 stall owners at Manokan Country due to their failure to obtain the necessary business permits.
The directive, dated June 26, mandates the cessation of operations until further notice.
According to PLD head Stela Rose Rayos, a recent inspection revealed that the businesses were operating in violation of City Ordinance 565, Series of 2011, also known as the Bacolod City Revised Local Revenue Code of 2011.
Despite being given a three-day notice on June 21 to rectify the deficiencies, the businesses failed to comply, said Rayos.
The order also requires the stall owners to submit all requirements for their 2024 business permit applications.
Manokan Country, located across from SM City Mall in the Reclamation Area, Barangay 12, currently hosts 27 stall owners.
Just this June 3, the City Legal Office (CLO) issued notices to vacate to 26 of these stall owners in line with the redevelopment project by SM Prime Holdings Inc. (SPHI), which has leased part of the Manokan lot from the city.
Although SPHI has provided a temporary relocation site at the SM City Malls parking lot, none of the stall owners have yet agreed to move.
City Legal Officer Romeo Carlos Ting Jr. said the stall owners were given until June 20 to respond, and now face a final deadline of July 5 to vacate the premises.
The city has warned that failure to vacate could lead to forced closure of the stalls.
Several stall owners also reportedly have outstanding rental fee arrears with the city./PN
