BAYAN Negros condemned in a press statement the recent displacement of over 24 tenants from Manokan Country, a cherished cultural landmark in Bacolod renowned for its chicken inasal.
This move, orchestrated under the guise of development for Mayor Albee Benitez’s vision of a ‘Super City’, starkly illustrates the sacrifice of community heritage at the altar of corporate interests.
For over four decades, Manokan Country has served as a vibrant hub for locals and tourists alike, embodying Bacolod’s rich cultural fabric. Now, these tenants face eviction to make way for SM Prime Holdings Inc.’s expansion plans, facilitated by Mayor Albee Benitez. The proposed transformation, labeled as ‘renovation’ by proponents, threatens to impose exorbitant rents and higher consumer prices, undermining the livelihoods of small entrepreneurs integral to Bacolod’s identity.
The tenants contend that the agreement between the local government and SM Prime Holdings disregards City Ordinance 16, Series of 1983, which mandates stakeholder consultation for any private sector involvement in such developments. Their resistance underscores broader concerns about Mayor Benitez’s development agenda, which prioritizes corporate partnerships over community welfare.
It adds that the displacement at Manokan Country is not an isolated incident but part of Mayor Benitez’s pattern of neoliberal policies in Bacolod. His administration’s aggressive pursuit of mega-projects, including extensive reclamation and transport modernization initiatives, threatens to displace thousands more from their homes and livelihoods. These initiatives, touted as symbols of progress, conceal a reality where ordinary Bacolodnons bear the brunt of development skewed in favor of corporate interests.
“We stand in solidarity with the tenants of Manokan Country and all those facing displacement,” stated a Jimmy Loplop, spokesperson for BAYAN Negros. “Mayor Benitez’s actions epitomize a bureaucrat capitalist approach, leveraging public office to entrench corporate control over Bacolod’s resources and communities.”
Bacolodnons must unite to demand genuine consultation and transparency in decision-making processes that affect their lives, the group urged. The statement ended with BAYAN Negros urging all Negrosanons to join in denouncing Mayor Benitez’s neoliberal agenda and defending the rights of Bacolod’s people against corporate exploitation.*
