THE City Government of Bacolod has already accepted the proposal of SM Prime Holdings Inc. (SMPH) to develop the Manokan Country, Vendors’ Plaza, Bacolod Arts and Youth Sports Center (Bays Center), and the office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) through the public-private-partnership-program (PPPP), Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said Tuesday, March 7.

Benitez said they will issue a certificate of successful negotiation to SMPH, and it will be published for a Swiss Challenge.

"We will follow the process for whoever will be interested in challenging the proposal," he said.

He added that it was the first proposal of SMPH to develop Manokan Country, but they indicated their interest in also developing the areas of Vendor’s Plaza, Bays Center, and Comelec.

City Administrator Pacifico Maghari III earlier said the Manokan Country building was constructed in the 1990s and it needs to be developed as one of the tourist spots in Bacolod.

Manokan Country is a row of restaurants selling grilled foods, especially the famous Bacolod chicken inasal, is situated on city-owned property at the Reclamation Area, right across SM City Bacolod.

Maghari disclosed that the City Government will also prioritize the tenants of the Manokan Country once it is implemented, adding that they will also pay the rent to the operator of the project.*