BACOLOD City – The city government has allowed the 24 stall owners or tenants to continue operating at the Manokan Country while waiting for the approval of its demolition request from the Commission on Audit (COA).
Stall owners can also avail of the temporary space provided by the SM Prime Holdings Inc. (SPHI) at the parking hub of SM City, just across the Manokan Country, once it is ready for occupancy.
Councilor Celia Flor, chairman of the City Council committee on markets, said the COA has yet to approve the demolition request but upon its approval, tenants should immediately vacate the Manokan Country.
SPHI leased the portion of the city government’s property in Barangay 12 where the Manokan Country is situated for its redevelopment project. The temporary relocation site will be free of rental fee for 18 months pending construction of the project.
Meanwhile, of the 24 stall owners of the Manokan Country, only 17 are eligible to avail of the temporary space.
City Legal Officer Romeo Carlos Ting Jr. explained that the remaining seven stall owners failed to settle their arrears with the City Treasurer’s Office, adding that each arrear reached almost P600,000.
“Indi na gid sila mabaton pa kag nag-cut off na, wala pa gid kabayad,” Ting said.
It was reported that these stall owners had promised the city government to settle their arrears last month but failed to do so.
The seven stalls could be given to others who are willing to occupy double spaces or to those individuals who are also willing to avail of the temporary stalls, Ting added./PN
