BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines – All 15 stalls at popular chicken barbecue spot Manokan Country ordered closed by City Hall Monday, 3 October 2022, have reopened today after tenants agreed to pay off their arrears, most dating back to 1996, with the local treasury.
A check by DNX today, 4 October 2022, showed the following stalls are now operating at the chicken barbecue spot here: Lion’s Park, Velez Kaye, Nena’s I, Nicole, Rosing, Cita’s, Nena’s Beth Nena’s Beth II, Karen Grill, Nena’s Rose II, Aida’s, Umbao, Bernadette, Maricor, Narsing, Lobel Leo’s, and Nene Lim.
Legal Officer Romeo Carlos Ting Jr, however, also confirmed the other stall owners – those of Shibarose, Carmen, and New Paz – have also agreed to pay off their arrears with City Hall over the next 26 months that ends in December 2024.
The summary of rental delinquency of the Treasurer’s Office showed 24 tenants failed to pay their arrears, some dating back to 1996 when former Mayor Evelio Leonardia was new to the position.
The stalls that had arrears are Nena I, Rosing, Cita’s, Nena’s Beth III that had two stalls, Pacita’s I, Pacita’s II, Karen Grill, Shibarose, Bernadette, Carmen, Maricor, New Paz, Narsing, and Ian Mark Tacolod.
Those who were able to settle their arrears before yesterday’s temporary closure were owners of Nicole, Nene Lim, and Geraldine Tan.
The highest arrear balance as of 30 September 2022 was close to P679,000 while the lowest was almost P65,000.
Most started to become delinquent payers starting in 1996.
The monthly rent for stall owners is P2,800.
The Manokan Country started as a row of chicken barbecue grillers at Cuadra Street before they were transferred to the now common area on the 1.7 hectare reclaimed property owned by the City as part of its share from the Bacolod Real Estate Development Corporation that did the reclamation works.
It was made popular by the marinated barbecue chicken parts first intended and priced for the mass market, especially lower income residents here.
It has drawn a steady stream of foreign and domestic tourists who want to experience what some food critics describe as the distinctive taste of charcoal-grilled chicken in an open air setting and eating with bare hands.
