The transfer of the tenants of the Bacolod Manokan Country to their temporary space at the terminal hub of SM City was postponed on September 12, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said Wednesday, August 21. This was after SM Prime Holdings Inc. (SPHI) requested from the city government to give them more time to install the exhaust fans in the area.
The tenants were earlier given another month, or from July 19 to August 19, to process their transfer to the temporary area, including the transfer of their water and electricity utilities. Benitez said he approved the request of SM so there will be a delay on the transfer of the tenants. “I’m not sure if it’s final (September 12) but, in the meantime, I’m also encouraging the tenants if they can start transferring their things or equipment to the terminal hub of SM City,” he said.
Manokan Country has a total of 27 tenants, but only 26 of them were operating in the area. Of 26 tenants, 24 agreed to transfer to the temporary space at the terminal hub of SM City while the two other affected tenants have their location to continue their businesses. On October 20, 2023, the city government of Bacolod signed a contract agreement with SM Prime to redevelop the iconic Manokan Country.
SM Prime has already turned over P131.89 million to the city government to redevelop Manokan Country. Moreover, Benitez said he will also ask SM Prime to submit to his office the newly designed Manokan Country, which was earlier released by SM to the media.
“I would like to get a little bit more details because we want to capture the ambiance of the Manokan Country which is not so modern, not so luxurious and we will have to maintain the original and the concept of the Manokan Country as it is now,” he said. He added that they only want to upgrade the facilities such as the kitchen, and comfort room, among others, but the ambiance should have the same feeling as the customers enter the Manokan Country. The newly designed Manokan Country pays homage to the existing outdoor hawker stalls that sell chicken inasal, as well as classic Filipino street food.
It also features a striking exterior that combines modern industrial and vernacular Filipino architecture. Steven Tan, president, of SM Supermalls, in a statement, earlier said Manokan Country is now poised to enter a new era as it evolves into a dynamic marketplace for dining and specialty concepts. He said this transformation honors the city's proud history while embracing modernity, offering an exciting fusion of the past and present that resonates with today's Bacolodnon way of life.
“At SM Prime, our vision is to create innovative, sustainable developments that serve as catalysts for a better quality of life. Our commitment to revitalizing Bacolod’s Manokan Country aligns with our broader mission to contribute to the nation's robust growth,” he added. The newly designed Manokan Country showed that it pays homage to the existing outdoor hawker stalls that sell chicken inasal, as well as classic Filipino street food.
It also features a striking exterior that combines modern industrial and vernacular Filipino architecture. The new Manokan Country located adjacent to SM City Bacolod was designed by DSGN Associates. It stands as a sophisticated, bold, and respectful design that blends tradition and innovation, creating harmonious and functional spaces that celebrate Bacolod City's proud heritage.
It also showed that upon entering the open-air plaza, customers are greeted with dozens of tables and chairs for outdoor conversing, eating, and relaxing. Inside, one can also explore a two-level beer garden, numerous hawker stalls, a hypermarket, and various retail shops./MAP.
