In Bacolod City, the local government is stepping up to support the tenants of Manokan Country, a renowned strip of chicken inasal eateries, as they navigate the challenges posed by the area’s multi-billion-peso redevelopment project. Spearheaded by SM Prime Holdings Inc., the project has prompted the city to distribute PHP500,000 worth of food vouchers, funded personally by the mayor, to help tenants attract customers during the transition period. Each voucher is valued at PHP150 and aims to ease the tenants’ concerns about losing business as they relocate from their original stalls at the Reclamation Area to temporary setups at the SM City Bacolod terminal hub. The move is necessary to facilitate the demolition of the old Manokan structure, a key component of the redevelopment plan agreed upon in a contract signed with the city government in October 2023. Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez has confirmed that the site will be boarded up for demolition within the month. During a recent visit for the 29th Bacolaodiat Festival, SM Prime chairman Hans Sy expressed enthusiasm for the project, emphasizing its role in preserving Bacolod’s heritage while enhancing its status as a world-class city. Sy also committed to supporting the tenants through financial literacy workshops and providing them with safer, more sustainable, and attractive facilities to ensure continued economic growth and community well-being.
