BACOLOD City – The city government yesterday released around 650 unclaimed food vouchers for the stall owners of the Manokan Country who temporarily relocated to a site at the North Wing of the Parking Hub at SM City Mall here.
Almost 3,400 food vouchers equivalent to a total of P500,000 with corresponding amount of P150 per voucher were earlier released, but 650 were unclaimed.
The P500,000 allocation came from the personal money of Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez.
Following the expiration of the said food vouchers last February 16, Mayor Benitez said the city government will release new vouchers with new expiration date.
Councilor Celia Flor, who was designated by the mayor for the distribution of the vouchers to the city’s residents, said the new vouchers are valid until March 27.
“The recipients should immediately utilize it. Each food voucher bears the name of the respective stall,” she added.
The food vouchers were provided by the city mayor in response to the concerns of the Manokan Country tenants that they would have a hard time attracting customers if they would move out from their original stalls at the Reclamation Area that they are leasing from the city government.
Earlier this month, the city government said it would soon turn over the old site of the Manokan Country to SM Prime Holdings Inc. (SPHI) for redevelopment.
SPHI leased the 16,875-square meter city government-owned property in barangays 10 and 12 where the original Manokan Country was situated. The private firm has invested P4 billion to redevelop the iconic area./PN
