By Mae Singuay

The Bacolod City Legal Office (CLO) will serve a notice to vacate for 141 informal settler families (ISFs) in the city’s Barangay 12 who will be affected by the development project in the Manokan Country.

CLO head, Romeo Carlos Ting, Jr. said this is in preparation for the rehabilitation of the Manokan Country and Vendors Plaza across a popular shopping mall in the Reclamation Area.

Earlier, Barangay 12 chief Ely Alcantara said village officials appealed to the city government to give the affected ISFs enough time to relocate within six months.

Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said he relayed their appeal to the project developer for a six-month extension.

However, Benitez said that as the negotiation is still ongoing, the extension is not definite yet.

“We are still negotiating because they would like to finish it as soon as possible,” Benitez said.

“On my part, I want them [ISFs] to be properly relocated, not that they will be immediately displaced [and] nowhere to go,” he said.

“Ang idea is to make sure nga kun mahalin man sila, plastado na ila sayluhan,” he added.

The developer will be leasing the city government-owned 16,875-square meter lot for the P4 billion development project.

The redevelopment is set for next year./MS, WDJ