This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.
This is the third time the closure and demolition of the Bacolod City landmark deferred
BACOLOD, Philippines – For the third time, the much-talked about closure and demolition of the iconic Manokan Country in Bacolod City are stalled anew.
Surprisingly, cited as the newest reason by the city government is the Commission on Audit Regional Office-Western Visayas (COA 6) failure to issue a demolition permit, a twist that was not mentioned before and even during the tensions amid several demolition attempts in July.
COA, in a Joint Circular No. 2024-1 with the Department of Budget Management, has the jurisdiction to evaluate and approve disposal of government properties, which were no longer serviceable.
The first and second attempts to implement the demolition of the 41-year-old Manokan Country were on July 16 and August 19, respectively.
But both did not prosper because the Manokan Country tenants, who stand to be displaced, have no where to go yet.
SM Prime Holdings, Incorporated (SMPHI), the developer-in-waiting of the controversial city-owned lot where the Manokan Country stands right now, has offered a temporary area (SM City-Bacolod North Transport Hub) for the grilling business until the redevelopment of the area, and the new and modern Manokan Country is completed.
Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez gave consideration to the tenants to continue doing business until the SMPHI’s offered place will be completely set up.
The final date of the transfer of the tenants was set August 19 to give way for the final closure and demolition of the Manokan Country. But, again, it didn’t happen.
The issue that time was that the exhaust facilities at the interim Manokan Country were not completed yet.
Rappler has reached out SMPHI for comment, but it has yet to respond.
The city set another schedule, and it is on September 19.
But City Attorney Romeo Carlos Ting told Rappler on Thursday, September 12, the September 19 schedule might not push throught again as COA 6 has yet to issue a copy of an approved demolition permit.
In this, SMPHI’s ambitious plan to redevelop the city’s lot of 16,875 square meters located along Fr. Mauricio Ferrero Street in Reclamation Area where the Manokan Country, Vendors’ Plaza and Bacolod Arts, Youth and Sports (BAYS) Center are currently situated, will be derailed anew.
Ting, however, hoped that before MassKara Festival in October, the Manokan Country issue will be settled.
Hoping then that their last-ditch request will be granted by COA 6 soonest.
The Manokan Country controversy started when the city government transacted the city-owned lot property of 16,875 square meters with SMPHI for a P4 billion, 40 years redevelopment via public-private partnership (PP) scheme middle of 2023.
The city council gave the transaction a nod, passing a resolution authorizing the mayor to enter into an agreement with SMPHI in October 2023.
In the agreement, SPMHI is obliged to pay the city P21.26 million as yearly rental.
SMPHI paid the city P131.89 million to the city as down payment good for seven years.
Based on plan, SMPHI, a subsidiary of the Sy-led SM Investments Corporation, will construct a two-level, open area (redevelopment) building with business process outsourcing (BPO) officers with modern Manokan Country below.
Also, SMPHI’s redevelopment program targets to generate 10,000 jobs in Bacolod and Negros Occidental. – Rappler.com
