MODERNIZED MANOKAN COUNTRY. Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez (left) and Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran (right) with SM Supermalls president Steven Tan after the signing of the contract for the Manokan Country Redevelopment Project at the Government Center main lobby on Friday (Oct. 20, 2023). The project involves a multi-billion contract for the lease and development of various city properties, including the Manokan Country, with an annual rental fee of PHP21.26 million. (PNA photo by Nanette L. Guadalquiver)
BACOLOD CITY – The city government here has formalized a partnership with property giant SM Prime Holdings Inc. to modernize the Manokan Country, the famous row of chicken inasal (grilled chicken) stalls at the reclamation area.
The Manokan Country Redevelopment Project involves a multi-billion contract for the lease and development of various city properties signed between Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez and SM Prime president Jeffrey Lim, represented by SM Supermalls president Steven Tan, during the ceremony held at the Bacolod City Government Center, Friday afternoon.
“It’s a modernization with a touch of preserving cultural identity. Manokan Country is ingrained in our culture, and we would like to preserve that moving forward. We just like to enhance it, make sure that the experience is still there within the modern facilities,” Benitez said after the signing rites, in the presence of other city officials and SM Prime executives.
In this public-private partnership, SM Prime has committed a PHP3 billion minimum cost of investments in the leased premises aside from paying an annual rental of PHP21.26 million.
The 40-year lease agreement covers an aggregate area of 16,875 square meters or about 1.68 hectares, including the Manokan Country and the adjacent city government-owned lots.
Following the contract signing, SM Prime turned over to Benitez the amount of PHP131.89 million, representing seven years of advance rental payments under the agreement, with an annual rental fee subject to a five percent escalation rate every three years.
The completion target for the Manokan Country Redevelopment Project is June 2025.
Stall tenants will occupy the provided space in the parking lot at the nearby SM City Bacolod while the development is ongoing.
“We treasure the relationship we have built with the community of Bacolod City, and we remain committed to further enhancing their shopping and dining experience, particularly at their well-loved Manokan Country,” Lim said in a statement.
He noted that the design of the new Manokan Country has been "greatly influenced by the company’s passion to provide customers, including chicken inasal entrepreneurs, with a world-class facility they can really be proud of.”
“Upgrading the infrastructure and facilities within Manokan Country will not only enhance the overall dining experience but also improve safety, hygiene standards, and operational efficiency that customers are prioritizing nowadays,” Lim said.
Tan said that Manokan Country, as a cultural icon and a representation of the warmth and hospitality of Bacolod, needs to be modernized to stay relevant.
“Modernization does not mean compromising the essence or character of Manokan Country. It means providing better facilities, improved infrastructure, and a more comfortable and convenient dining experience. It means embracing technology to streamline operations, enhance customer service, and provide a smoother transaction process,” he added. (PNA)
