The Committee on Government Assets of the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) will call for a separate public hearing in relation to the proposed disposal of the property where Manokan Country is situated. In a letter to Councilor Ana Marie Palermo, chairperson of the SP Committee on Laws, Ordinances and Good Government, Councilor Caesar Distrito expressed and informed her the need to conduct a separate hearing to further discuss the matter. Distrito said his committee will handle a separate hearing to discuss several important issues such as the procedure on the sale or disposal of city government assets under the existing laws, rules and regulations, and the process of determination by the Local Appraisal Committee on the subject property. The Committee will also discuss the issues on the determination of the fair, justifiable and prevailing price of the subject property based on the opinion of the experts who will be invited as resource speakers of the public hearing, and other matters relative to the said property, particularly on the effects of such sale to the existing assets of the city government. Distrito said the public hearing is scheduled sometime next week after All Souls’ Day. The SP has assigned this matter to the committees of Palermo, Distrito, Councilor El Cid Familiaran, chairman of the SP Committee on Urban Poor, Housing and Resettlement; and Councilor Carl Lopez, chairman of the SP Committee on Markets and Slaughterhouse./WDJ By Glazyl Jane Marie Y. Masculino
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The City Government of Bacolod wants to fast track the sale of the Manokan Country property despite strong opposition from tenants and some sectors. Executive Assistant Sarah Esguerra revealed this plan yesterday, saying the local government unit is hopeful the process will be finalized before the end of the year. Mayor Monico Puentevella earlier proposed the disposal of the property where Manokan Country is situated, after he received an unsolicited proposal from SM Prime Holdings Inc. The conglomerate offered to purchase the 17,783 square meter lot at P20,500 per square meter to develop the property into an integrated shopping complex with a transport terminal, hotel, and improved Manokan Country. However, Councilor Caesar Distrito, chairman of the SP Committee on Assets, earlier said the sale should not be rushed because there are a lot of issues which need to be further discussed. Esguerra maintained the sale of Manokan Country is for its modernization. “The mayor has many plans for the booming city,” she shared. Meanwhile, Manokan Country tenants, in their position paper submitted to Councilor Ana Marie Palermo, chairperson of the SP Committee on Laws, Ordinances, and Good Government, repeatedly expressed their strong opposition to the city’s privatization efforts. The tenants pointed out that Manokan Country is a place Bacolodnons can be proud of. They also pointed out their sacrifices to sustain their means of living in the area, despite poor revenues sometimes. The tenants emphasized their deficiency in paying the city rental fees is not enough reason for the sale of the Manokan Country because its cultural heritage has been preserved until now. “Why can’t the city make the place a progressive one which could help small entrepreneurs and businessmen instead of selling it for privatization?” they reasoned. IT’S NOT OVER Teresita Mondres, spokesperson for the tenants, said the fight isn’t over yet, as they remain persistent in opposition to City Hall’s plans. “We are not against the development of the Manokan Country but we are strongly opposing the sale of the property,” Mondres stressed. Mondres said they are thankful to the city for its compassion but it does not mean that the government can just do what they want to the property. She said they cannot allow the city to sell the property. COMMITTEE HEARING Palermo, along with Councilors El Cid Familiaran (Chairman of the SP Committee on Urban Poor, Housing and Resettlement) and Alex Paglumotan (Chairman of the SP Committee on Energy and Transportation), conducted a second committee hearing yesterday in the presence of the Manokan Country tenants and other stakeholders. During the committee hearing, issues were raised concerning the relocation of the tenants and informal settlers, appraisal value of the Commission on Audit, deficiency on rental obligation of the tenants to the city, awardees and occupants of the stalls, and other matters. Palermo said more committee hearings must be conducted before making the final decision on the matter. “We cannot even preempt the decision of the SP,” she added./WDJ By Glazyl Jane Marie Y. Masculino BACOLOD City – Councilor El Cid Familiaran saw another problem if the city government will rush the sale of its property at the Reclamation Area in Barangay 12. Aside from the displacement of Manokan Country tenants, the city government may also face difficulties in relocating about 130 informal settlers. The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) committee on urban poor, housing and resettlement chairman said the city’s relocation site at the Arao property in Barangay Vista Alegre should be prepared before the city agrees to the offer of SM Prime Holdings, Inc. to buy the 17,783-square meter property currently being occupied by informal settlers, Manokan Country and the People’s Market. Some areas at the relocation site do not have water and power connections. The lack of these basic amenities is the reason why some informal settlers refused to live there, said Familiaran. Of about 800 residential lots available at the relocation site, only 100 are being occupied, he said. Citing the Urban Housing Development Act, Familiaran stressed that relocated residents should be provided with their basic needs. SM Prime Holdings, Inc. submitted a proposal to Mayor Monico Puentevella offering to buy the lot for P20,500 per square meter. It intends to build a shopping complex with transport terminal, a hotel and an “improved” Manokan country. The site being eyed by the property developer is located across the north wing of the SM City Bacolod. The proposal, however, is being opposed by tenants of Manokan Country and the Diocese of Bacolod. Familiaran’s committee, along with the SP committee on laws, ordinances and good governance under Councilor Ana Marie Palermo, committee on assets under Councilor Caesar Distrito, and committee on transportation under Councilor Alex Paglumotan, led a joint committee hearing yesterday regarding the property’s proposes sale. The four committees are expected to conduct more public hearings./PN By MAE SINGUAY THE City Government of Bacolod is bent on selling the property occupied by Manokan Country at the Reclamation Area despite strong opposition of tenants and other groups. Sarah Esguerra, executive assistant to Mayor Monico Puentevella, said the City wants to fast-track the process of selling the property since “it needs immediate improvement with the city’s booming status.” “The City is hoping that the process will be finished before the year ends in order for the City to start its partnership with the private entity and start the development immediately,” she said during the second committee hearing conducted by the City Council committee on laws, ordinances, and good governance at the Annex Building of the People’s House on Thursday. Also present were the Manokan Country tenants and other stakeholders. Puentevella had proposed the disposal of the property after he received an unsolicited proposal from SM Prime Holdings Inc. offering to purchase the 17,783 square meters lot at P20,500 per square meter purposely for developing the property into an integrated shopping complex with transport terminal, a hotel, and an improved Manokan Country. But Councilor Caesar Distrito, chairman of the City Council committee on assets, earlier said that it should not be rushed because there are a lot of issues that need to be further discussed. The tenants of Manokan Country, in their position paper submitted Thursday to Councilor Ana Marie Palermo, chairperson of committee on laws, ordinances, and good government, expressed anew their strong opposition to the City's plan of selling the property to a private entity. The tenants pointed out that the Manokan Country is a place that Bacolodnons can be proud of, as they expressed fear that they may be not taken cared under the private operator. Teresita Mondres, spokesperson of the Manokan Country tenants, said the fight is not yet over, as they are persistent to continuously oppose the said privatization. “We are not against the development of Manokan Country but we are strongly opposing the sale of the property,” Mondres said, adding that the “development can still be done under the government operating the property.” For his part, Councilor El Cid Familiaran said the disposal of Manokan Country property may affect many families, and the city's relocation site might not be ready to accommodate them. This should go slow since the Arao property relocation site in Barangay Vista Alegre is not yet ready to accommodate additional relocatees. Information from Barangay 12 obtained by Familiaran shows that about 130 informal settler families will be affected, but according to the Bacolod Housing Authority, it’s only 40 families. Familiaran said there are informal settlers, aside from those from Barangay 12, who have already received a court order for demolition but the City cannot displace them due to the lack of electricity, water, and other basic utilities in the relocation area. He added that aside from the cause of Manokan Country tenants, the City must settle first the issue on informal settlers. By ERWIN P. NICAVERA CARLA N. CANET The City of Bacolod is not ready to relocate about 130 informal settlers occupying the property between the Manokan Country and the Vendor's Plaza in Brgy 12, Bacolod City, Bacolod Councilor El Cid Familiaran said during the second committee hearing on its proposed sale yesterday. Familiaran, chairman of the Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Housing and Resettlement, said he is concerned about what may happen to the 130 informal settlers if the city sells the Manokan Country since the Bacolod Housing Authority is not ready to accommodate them at the relocation site. In an interview after the hearing, an executive assistant of Mayor Monico Puentevella confirmed that the Bacolod City government is bent on selling the Manokan Country at the Reclamation Area in Bacolod City and that they want to fast-track the sale. Familiaran said that at present, there are applicants or awardees, who have been issued court orders for demolition, who cannot transfer yet to the relocation site because the area is not ready. He said that under Republic Act 7279 or the "Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992," the electrical connections, water and other basic facilities must be in place in the relocation site before the local government transfers the informal settlers there. When asked by Familiaran during the public hearing yesterday about the situation at the relocation site, acting BHA head Joel Vergara said their request for installation of transformers and electrical connection with the City Engineer's Office is still pending. Vergara said Central Negros Electric Cooperative is also waiting for these materials so they can start the electrification of the relocation site where the informal settlers are to be relocated. Familiaran said the BHA does not even have an updated figure of the actual number of informal settlers there. He said it was Kagawad Bobby Diarota who informed the committee that presently, there are about 130 informal settlers in the area during the first public hearing Monday. Familiaran said there are 800 lots prepared by National Housing Authority at the Arao relocation site but only 100 have been relocated there. About 300 to 400 are scheduled for relocation, but because the place has no electrical connection, they could not yet be transferred, he said. So what will happen to the more or less 130 informal settlers from Barangay 12? He asked. Since they are the responsibility of the city government, the city should go slow on its plan to sell the Manokan Country unless it could provide the basic needs and requirements before they could be transferred. Puentevella has said he had received last Jan. 22 an allegedly unsolicited proposal from SM Prime Holdings Inc. offering to purchase the property at Rizal Street, Road Lot 4 and Burgos Street at the Reclamation Area that houses the Manokan Country and the Vendors Plaza, including an adjacent parking area, with an area of 13, 783 square meters. SMPHI has offered to purchase the property at P20,500 per square meter. The company plans to develop the property into an integrated shopping complex with a transport terminal, a hotel and an improved Manokan Country. The stall owners of the Manokan Country have issued a position paper expressing their strong opposition to the proposed sale of the Manokan Country to private investors. Teresita Mondres, spokesperson of the Manokan Country Vendor's Association, said they are against the privatization of the Manokan Country since this will result to higher rentals and the dislocation of many of those whose livelihood depend on it. Mondres said that if the city could improve the facility, this will become more attractive to tourists and also help local and small businessmen in Bacolod City. If the city pushes through with the sale of the Manokan Country, they will wait and see and plan their next move. The fight is not yet over, she added. T he Social Action Center of the Diocese of Bacolod had advised Puentevella and the SP not to rush the sale of Manokan property or this will be made a political issue against them. Yesterday's joint hearing was conducted by the Committees on Laws, Government Assets, Markets, and Urban Poor.*CGS BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO MORE public hearings are needed to be conducted on the disposal of the Manokan Country property proposed by Bacolod City Mayor Monico Puentevella, Councilor Caesar Distrito said. Distrito spearheaded the conduct of a public hearing Monday where stakeholders and the mayor's representatives Executive Assistant Sarah Esguerra, City Legal Officer Aireen Bonghanoy and Acting City Administrator Jerome Solinap attended to defend the proposal. Distrito, who chairs the committee on government assets, said that four City Council committees, including laws, ordinances and good government chaired by Councilor Ana Marie Palermo; urban, poor housing and resettlement headed by Councilor El Cid Familiaran; and committee on markets and slaughterhouse led by Councilor Carlos Jose Lopez conducted the hearing. They discussed the arrears of the Manokan Country tenants, the stand of the Social Action Center that is against the selling of the property, and how many informal settlers will be affected should the disposal of the property pushes through. “We have not reached the meat of the matter, thus we want to conduct succeeding hearings so that we can really determine if the disposal is proper, the price of the lot per square meter is just and equitable as appraised by the Appraisal Committee and also how they will follow to the letter the process which was provided under the law,” Distrito said. He added: "We also discussed the 15-year contract of the City Government and the Lion's Park. Can the city dispose the property with the existence of a contract with the Lion’s Park lessee?" Puentevella has proposed to dispose the property located at the corners of Rizal Street, Road Lot 4, Burgos Street, Reclamation Area where the Manokan Country is situated. In his letter-request to the City Council dated October 13, 2014, Puentevella said he received an unsolicited proposal from SM Prime Holdings Inc. offering to purchase the lot with an area of 17,783 square meters, purposely for developing the property into an integrated shopping complex with transport terminal, a hotel, and an improved Manokan Country. SM Prime offered to buy the property in an unsolicitated price of P20,500 per square meter. However, the City Appraisal Committee said their assessment of the value of the property based on its highest and best use is P21,200 per square meter. By CARLA N. CANET A joint hearing by five Sangguniang Panlungsod committees discussed the proposed disposal of Manokan Country, the iconic retail strip of inasal vendors in Bacolod City. The participating SP committee chairmen were Councilor Caesar Distrito (Committee on Government Assets), Councilor Ana Marie Palermo (Committee on Laws, Ordinances and Good Government), Councilor Alex Paglumotan (Committee on Energy and Transportation), Councilor El Cid Familiaran (Committee on Urban Poor, Housing and Resettlement), and Councilor Carl Lopez (Committee on Markets and Slaughterhouse). “We cannot preempt the decision of the SP,” Distrito said as he explained how public hearings are needed before deciding to dispose of government assets. He added the SP should study the matter further before deciding to give Mayor Monico Puentevella the authority to proceed with the sale of the property. “The issue should not be rushed,” emphasized Distrito. Also present at the hearing were representatives from the City Mayor’s Office, namely: Executive Assistant Sarah Esguerra, Atty. Aireen Bonghanoy, and Acting City Administrator Jerome Solinap, as well as various stakeholders and Manokan Country stall owners. Mayor’s Proposal Puentevella earlier proposed to dispose of the property located at the corners of Rizal Street and Road Lot 4, Burgos Street in the Reclamation Area, where the Manokan Country is situated, after receiving an unsolicited proposal from SM Prime Holdings Inc. The conglomerate offered to purchase the 17,783 square meter lot at P20,500 per square meter, for the purpose of developing the property into an integrated shopping complex with transport terminal, hotel, and an improved Manokan Country. During the joint hearing, the committees discussed the arrears of the Manokan Country tenants, the stand of the Social Action Center, and the number of informal settlers who will be affected should the property disposal pushes through. “We have not reached the meat of the matter, thus we want to conduct succeeding hearings so we can really determine if the disposal is proper,” Distrito said. For his part, Fr. Ernie Larida, Director of the Social Action Center, earlier expressed strong opposition to the Mayor’s proposal. Larida said Manokan Country is not only a landmark but a cultural heritage and tourism spot known worldwide. Larida, in his position paper, also claimed Manokan Country is a product of love and labor of the Manokan stall owners since 1970s. “This was even conceptualized by small entrepreneurs of Bacolod, nurtured through hard work and sacrifice,” he said. “It is not right to hand over landmarks like this on a silver plate, so to speak, to the moneyed individuals and corporations to ‘fund other projects’ of the city,” Larida said. Rental fees unpaid Larida explained the non-collection of rental fees is not a valid reason to sell the property. He identified the inefficiency of the concerned government agency to collect arrears as the city government’s fault and not the vendors. Based on the data gathered by the Appraisal Committee, only three stalls out of the 26 occupying the area have a Mayor’s Permit to operate as of March 2015. Unpaid rentals amount to a total of P6,574,721.64. Meanwhile, Manokan Country tenants appealed to the SP to consider their situation before making a final decision to dispose the property to a private entity. For his part, Familiaran, an opposition candidate for vice mayor, said he will conduct a separate public hearing on the matter to determine the number of the affected stall owners. He said the hearing will also determine if the city can relocate their business to a good place should the disposal of the Manokan Country pushes through./WDJ By Glazyl Jane Marie Y. Masculino The rehabilitation work by the Department of Public Works and Highways on the Honorata Manalo Road (Buri Road) in Barangay Mandalagan, Bacolod City, was temporarily stopped when a commotion ensued between the affected lot owners, barangay officials and the contractor (Silver Dragon) yesterday. The landowners placed barricades on their properties and posted placards saying “no trespassing” and “private property” to stop the rehabilitation being implemented by the DPWH. The DPWH was prompted to temporarily stop the road rehabilitation in the area to prevent further conflict. The incident occurred after personnel of the Silver Dragon allegedly threatened and challenged members of the Villacin family, one of the affected lot owners, to a duel if they continue to object to the implementation of the project initiated by Bacolod Rep. Evelio Leonardia. Carmela Rife, niece of Majesty Villacin, said they called for police assistance to avoid any untoward incident when tension arose between both parties when a barricade was set up on their property to prevent the implementing agencies to continue their rehabilitation work which they consider road widening. Rife said they deployed security guards to protect their lots because the implementing agencies do not respect their rights over their property. Barangay watchman Daryl Pastor said he pacified those involved in the commotion and intervened in order to avoid further altercations among the parties. Meanwhile, Mandalagan Barangay Captain Arturo Parreño said he advised the Silver Dragon to temporarily stop their work, to ease the tension. Parreño said Rife could not present the title of the property they are claiming and how much its assessment is. Since the road belongs to Bacolod City, it should be the city who should pay the lot owners. He said the affected lot owners are scheduled for a hearing today at the Barangay Hall, on the controversial Buri road project. He said he already served summons to the lot owners, the DPWH and the Silver Dragon. Earlier, nine property owners filed a complaint for payment for just compensation with the Bacolod City Regional Trial Court Branch 49, after the city and the DPWH failed to resolve the issue on the liability for compensation. Villacin said she respects the project being implemented by the DPWH thought the efforts of Leonardia, as she considers it to be a good project for the development of the city of Bacolod. But she insisted that they cannot allow them to continue destroying their lots because they had been protecting them for many years now. Villacin claimed that they are not objecting to the project, but they only want to receive their just compensation which they have not yet received for more than two decades. On the other hand, Leonardia said the rehabilitation and widening is endangered unless the city government steps in and assures the landowners of Buri Road in Bacolod that they will be compensated. Leonardia said the city government is obligated to compensate the landowners, and it must now do so as its share in the development of the road that is going to connect Lacson Street in Mandalagan to the Circumferential Road in the East, and to the Bacolod Silay Airport Access Road. “I have done what I could by mobilizing national government resources to the tune of P100 million for this project,” Leonardia said. Leonardia said that landowners have been protesting the road construction because they have not been paid for their land, which the city government is supposed to do. How can the DPWH pay for this when it is a city road? he asked. Leonardia said Mayor Monico Puentevella should be grateful when they found funds for its widening and rehabilitation. He (Puentevella) should also do his part by paying the landowners, which should be a much, much smaller amount than the P100-million national budget allocation, Leonardia added. Despite the assurance of Leonardia, Vice Mayor Greg Gasataya and Councilor El Cid Familiaran, during their meeting Saturday, that they will do what they can to address the concerns of the affected lot owners, Rife said there has been no positive outcome about it. Rife said they aired their concerns about the Buri road project but instead of considering their appeal, it turned out that they are the ones who are having a bad image because of their objection.*CGS BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO BACOLOD City – The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) will hold more public hearings on the proposed sale of a city government property where the Manokan Country is located. The city council has yet to reach the “meat of the matter” and determine if the property’s disposal is proper and its proposed pricing “just and equitable,” said Councilor Caesar Distrito, chairperson of the SP committee on government assets. Distrito’s committee held a public hearing on the matter yesterday together with the committee on laws, ordinances and good ordinance under Councilor Ana Marie Palermo, committee on urban poor housing under Councilor El Cid Familiaran, and committee on transportation under Councilor Alex Paglumotan. The city government is planning to sell its 13,783-square meter property at the Reclamation Area currently being occupied by illegal settlers, the People’s Market and Manokan Country after receiving an unsolicited proposal from SM Prime Holdings, Inc. The company wanted to buy the property at P20,500 per square meter. It intends to build on it a shopping complex with transport terminal, a hotel and an “improved” Manokan Country. The site being eyed by the property developer is located across the north wing of SM City Bacolod. The proposed sale, is being opposed by the Diocese of Bacolod and tenants of Manokan Country among other sectors. Reverend Father Ernie Larida, Diocese of Bacolod’s Social Action Center director, stressed during yesterday’s hearing that the city government should develop the site instead of selling it. Larida recalled the efforts of past administrations from whence sprung the Manokan Country. The area was originally a mere trading post for local barbecue vendors. Through the years, Manokan Country developed into a tourist attraction. The city government should look for more properties to buy and develop, not sell, stressed Larida. Mayor Monico Puentevella’s Executive Assistant Sarah Esguerra, City Legal Officer Aireen Bonghanoy and Acting City Administrator Jerome Solinap, meanwhile, all came to defend the proposed sale. The city government is losing money from the property because it is not being utilized properly, they explained. Citing a report of the appraisal committee that the mayor formed, some 26 tenants occupying the area owe the city government P6,574,721.64 in monthly rent. Of the tenants operating at the Manokan Country, only three were allowed to renew their business permits this year. The committee is composed of acting City Assessor Rommel De la Cruz, City Engineer Belly Aguillon and City Treasurer Giovanni Balalilhe. It further stated that the “highest and best” value of the property would be P21,200 per square meter. The city government has offered to relocate the tenants in a vacant lot behind the Bacolod Arts and Youth Sports Center. Puentevella previously said the proceeds of the sale will be utilized to improve the city’s health and security services, rehabilitation of relocation areas and traffic decongestion./PN BY MAE SINGUAY The committees on laws, government assets and urban poor, housing and resettlement of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) of Bacolod have jointly conducted a committee hearing held at the SP Session Hall yesterday. The hearing centered on the request of Mayor Monico Puentevella submitted to the city council for authority to sign to dispose the Manokan Country property situated at the Reclamation Area in Barangay 12. Puentevella is proposing to sell the 13, 783 square-meter property to private developers to make the area a world-class landmark which will still be called Manokan Country. He claimed that the tenants failed to pay their delinquent accounts and stall rentals. City Treasurer Giovanni Balalilhe said that as of date, the delinquent accounts of the tenants including the arrears and penalties totals P 6.5 million. A series of public hearings will also be conducted soon to further discuss the matter before the city council approves the request of the Office of the City Mayor. Councilor Ana Marie Palermo presided the conference with Councilors El Cid Familiaran, Alex Paglumotan and Caesar Distrito and was attended by different stakeholders in the city.* CMO-PIO) |
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