The Committee on Market and Slaughterhouse will hold a public hearing at 2 p.m. today at the SP session hall at the request of the tenants of the Manokan Country.

The Manokan Country Vendors Association led by its president, David Montoya, requested Bacolod Councilor Carlos Jose Lopez to conduct a public consultation to hear their strong opposition to the proposed sale, lease or disposal of the Manokan Country property to a private business entity.

In their letter to Lopez dated June 24, the officers of the MCVA said the Manokan Country has established a distinctive identity for Bacolod City and Negros Occidental because of its “inasal na manok (charcoal grilled chicken).”

It has also found an iconic place in the history of Bacolod like the MassKara Festival and should be preserved, they said.

The MCVA officers also said the Manokan Country has also become a tourist attraction for local and foreign tourists and has become a place where families gather for special occasions like graduations, Valentine's Day, Christmas or birthdays.

On the claims of Mayor Monico Puentevella that some of their members are not paying their rental dues on time and that most have arrearages, they believe there are proper remedies for effecting collection but not the radical remedy of selling the Manokan Country.

Meanwhile, City Legal Officer Aireen Bonghanoy said yesterday that they are studying if there is a need to repeal the existing ordinance establishing the Manokan Country before it can be disposed, or whether there is a need to create a new ordinance or not at all.

Bonghanoy said they also have ordinances establishing the Beer Hausen and RC Cola Food Pavilliion, and the Vendors Market and Jeepney Terminal.

She said they are studying all the issues involving the Manokan Country like the effect of its sale to the existing lease contract, like in the case of the Lion's Park. So they have to come up with a comprehensive legal opinion, she added.

Bonghanoy said all the concerned departments have already submitted their data like the status of the area and the justification for the sale. Only the legal issue is being considered right now because they do not want to make a mistake and they are conducting extensive research, she said.

The sale of the Manokan Country is not being rushed since there are still some gray areas that have to be clarified and they are looking at the possible effect of the different scenarios.*CGS

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