Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso is looking forward to the re-opening of the redeveloped Arroceros Urban Forest Park, considered as the capital city’s “last lung.”
“This is what the ‘tolongges’ used to hang out, mounds. It’s nice. You can go sightseeing at night, flirt. It’s nice oh. Then here are the things … even at night, senior citizens and children can go around,” Moreno said while inspecting the progress of the work being done at the park.
The 2.2-hectare Arroceros Urban Forest Park has more than 3,000 trees of 61 varieties and 8,000 ornamental plants and is home to 10 bird species.
After undergoing construction for six months, the park now has fountains, elevated walkways, a coffee shop and play areas for children.
Meanwhile, senatorial bet Dr. Carl Balita of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry-Quezon City is urging the Professional Regulation Commission to expedite the digitalization of board licensure examinations amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
At a statement sent to Quezon City media, Balita said the PRC website used to present 100 board exams every year, but almost examinations were cancelled since March 2020.
In 2021, there were 48 exams rescheduled, while there were 12 others that rescheduled in 2022 with eight board exams postponed, he lamented.
Late last year, he said, the schedule for 90 board exams for 2022 was released.
Moreno made a tour of the new forest park Wednesday evening along with Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna, Manila City Engineer Armand Andres and other Manila City Hall officials.
Moreno has touted the new Arroceros Park as the Philippine capital’s version of New York’s Central Park.
“As long as the people are good, the Filipinos can be proud, we will do it … the people deserve it,” he said.
“We make sure that when we build, we build fast because time is of the essence, especially now during the pandemic,” added the 47-year-old local chief executive.
Moreno said he was very much contented with the progress of the work being done at the park as he toured the place.
He said the park would have amenities like play areas, kiosks, and public toilets. It will also have landscaping with an elevated path walk, a special lighting system, and water fountains.
Some of the pathways have rubber matting so that people will fee safer and more comfortable when strolling in the park.
Moreno also suggested the setting up of speakers where bird sounds could be heard so that people visiting the area would feel more relaxed.
Environmental groups such as Winner Foundation were said to be also contended with work being done inside the park.
The group previously expressed fears that touching the park, like building concrete pathways or walkways, will eventually kill the more than 3,000 trees in the area.
In a meeting at the Manila City last November, Moreno assured the environmental groups that no trees will be cut and that the park will be protected during its refurbishment.
Aside from Winner Foundation, also present during the meeting were the Manila Doctors, Wild Bird Club of the Philippines, Pamanlahi, Center for Energy, Ecology and Development, Earth Island Institute and Renacimiento Manila and The Climate Reality Project Philippines.
Last February 2020, Moreno signed Ordinance 8607, officially declaring the park along Arroceros Street as a permanent forest park.
The Arroceros Forest Park is part of a series of construction and rehabilitation projects to create more tourist destinations in Manila under Mayor Isko Moreno’s administration.
Other projects of the Moreno, who is the Aksyon Demoktratiko’s presidential bet, include the redevelopment and overhaul of the Manila Zoological and Botanical Garden and the renovation of the City Hall’s iconic clock tower.