• CHERYL G. CRUZ
The Sangguniang Panlungsod has authorized Mayor Alfredo Benitez this afternoon, Oct. 18, to sign the 40-year lease agreement between the Bacolod City government and SM Prime Holdings Inc. (SMPHI) for the lease and development of various city properties, including the Manokan Country and the Vendors’ Plaza.
These properties, which also include the Bacolod Youth and Sports (BAYS) Center and others at Fr. Ferrero Street, all located in the 16,875 square-meter parcels of land owned by the city, will be leased for P1,771,875 a month, or a minimum of P21,262,500 per year, exclusive of the value-added tax.
Under the lease contract expected to be signed by Benitez and SMPHI president Jeffrey Lim this week, the giant integrated property developer shall pay the City P131,897,635 in advance rental “on the date of the signing of the agreement”.
During the SP deliberations this afternoon, Councilor Celia Flor, chairperson of the sanggunian Committee on Markets, made known a letter-request she received from the Manokan tenants, who asked that their concerns on hours of operations, limited space allocation, and displacement of employees should also be taken into consideration by the city in the signing of the lease contract.
Some of these concerns were raised during the public hearing jointly conducted by Flor’s committee and that of the Committee on Laws, Ordinances and Good Government, headed by Councilor Al Victor Espino at the Bacolod Government Center Oct. 10.
In that hearing attended by tenants, councilors Jude Thaddeus Sayson, Vladimir Gonzalez, Simplicia Distrito, and Israel Salanga, other city officials, and SM Bacolod and SMPHI executives, the latter assured the former that they will be relocated and will not pay rent for about one year and a half, while construction of the improved Manokan is ongoing.
SMPHI vice president for Asset Management, Gusi Balatbat, had said that they are eyeing the transfer of the Manokan tenants to the temporary area at the North Transport Terminal by end of first quarter next year.
Atty. Helene Go, VP for Legal Affairs, also of SMPHI, assured the tenants that their business operations will not be interrupted. “Hindi kayo aalisin sa current Manokan hangga’t hindi tapos ang temporary relocation site.”
Flor, meanwhile, said she raised the concerns of the tenants with Benitez Oct. 17, and he verbally agreed that these issues should be considered even after the signing of the lease agreement.
The colatilla, including concerns raised over Section 14 of the agreement, or the right of first refusal, will be included in the resolution of the SP that authorized the mayor to sign the contract.
The Notice of Award is set to be issued by the city to SMPHI after the signing of the lease agreement. | CGC
