BACOLOD City – The city government has reminded Manokan Country tenants anew to settle their arrears.
These tenants are currently operating at their temporary location at the Parking Hub of SM City’s North Wing.
Several of them, according to the city government, had failed to religiously pay their monthly rentals to the city when they were still operating at the old Manokan Country in Barangay 12.
Councilor Celia Flor, chairperson of the Sangguniang Panlungsod committee on markets, said they previously convened the Manokan tenants where they agreed to pay their arrears gradually.
“Since the agreement was made verbally, we want to put it into writing. We want tenants to sign an agreement with city government to make it official,” she said.
The councilor added that these tenants are now required to pay their arrears since the temporary location provided by the SM Prime Holdings Inc. (SPHI) is free of rental fee.
“If they fail to pay their arrears for about 18 months or until the new Manokan Country site will start to operate, they cannot avail themselves of the space at the new site,” Flor said, adding that it is unfair for those tenants who have complied to pay.
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
