Fifteen tenants at the Manokan Country whose stalls were closed down by the Bacolod City government Monday morning have been allowed to reopen after they signed an agreement to pay the balance of their arrears.
The fifteen tenants who had arrears of P7.1 million reached a compromise agreement with the City Treasurer’s Office Monday afternoon.
They paid part of their arrears and agreed to pay the balance on a staggered basis, City Treasurer Arlene Memoria said.
Reopen orders were issued at 5:30 p.m. Monday after the 15 tenants signed compromise agreements to pay their balance, Bacolod City Administrator Pacifico Maghari III said.
Stall rental at the Manokan is P2,250 a month, Memoria said.
However, some of the arrears go as far back as 1995, she pointed out.
Three stalls that previously had arrears were not closed down Monday morning because the tenants fully paid the P971,000 which they owed, Memoria said.
Bacolod Councilor Celia Flor said the payments that will be placed in a trust fund will be used to improve the kitchens at the Manokan Country.
She has asked the City Engineer’s Office to come up with a program of works for the improvements, Flor said.
Flor also said the instructions of Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez to her is to meet with the stall owners to finds ways to help improve their businesses, which would include a marketing plan.*