In the middle of a historic and fast-paced city like Manila exists a nature park that serves as a provider of relief and fresh air to its residents and city goers. The Arroceros Forest Park is a lush greenery that is located at Antonio Villegas Street in the central district of Ermita.
Dubbed as “Manila’s Last Lung,” Arroceros Forest Park has become a haven for 8,000 ornamental plants, 61 different tree varieties, and 10 different bird species, which you can only see here in the Philippines.
Aside from providing a relaxed and healthy environment for Manileños, this 2.2 hectare urban park also carries historical and archeological value. During the 16th and 17th centuries, Arroceros Forest Park became a trading post for Filipino dealers who bartered with Malay and Chinese traders. It was also a military barracks during the American era and a site of the Fabrica de Tabacos in the 19th century.
However, around 10 months ago, the city government announced their plans of building a university stadium on the forest land.
The news caused an outrage among local residents and netizens.
https://twitter.com/JezzieLloowww/status/1027906558137491458
https://twitter.com/nadaaayn/status/1029365116234543106
Nasaan yung planning and implementation na ginagawa ng gobyerno? Walang zoning, ibebenta pa ang Arroceros Park, issue lang ng issue ng permits to build whatever, yung trabahong may maayos na sweldo nasa M. Manila, kulang ang public transpo, etc. pic.twitter.com/rDajLxjN8K
— Yanyan | RR (@kuyanyan) August 14, 2018
“Don’t it always seem to go; That you don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone; They paved paradise; And put up a parking lot.” Save Arroceros Forest Park.
— K. 💪🏼 (@kkaayyeezz) August 11, 2018
In a recent Facebook post by Gising Maynila, they encouraged citizens to help save the last remaining paradise in the city.
“SAVE MANILA’S LAST LUNG
Isang panawagan para sa ating mga kababayan, tulungan po natin ang mga environmental groups na protektahan ang ARROCEROS FOREST PARK at mapahinto ang plano ng Lungsod ng Maynila sa pangunguna ni Mayor Erap Estrada na putulin ang mga puno rito at patayuan ito ng GYMNASIUM at BUILDING.
Ang Arroceros Forest Park ay isang parke na nasa tabing ilog. Ito ay matatagpuan sa Antonio Villegas Street, Ermita Maynila. Ito ay naitayo noong 1993 at may sukat na 2.2 hektarya (5.4 acre) ito ay isang gubat sa lungsod na tinatahanan ng 61 iba’t-ibang uri ng puno at 8,000 ornamental na halaman at 10 iba’t-ibang uri ng ibon na dito lamang sa Pilipinas makikita.
Ito ay maliit na uri ng gubat sa lungsod, subalit ito ay mahalaga at may taguring “Manila’s last lung”; ito ang nag-iisang nature park sa nasabing lungsod. Ang parke ay naitayo sa tulong ng Pamahalaang Lungsod ng Maynila sa pakikipagtulungan ng Winner Foundation, isang pribadong grupo para sa kalikasan. Ang Arroceros Forest Park ay disenyo nina Arch. Wilfrido Dizon at ng Bulacan Garden Corporation. Ito ay tahanan ng higit kumulang na 3,500 na puno tulad ng:
acacia mangium,acacia auriculiformis, African tulip tree, agoho, anahaw, banyan, bunga de china, dapdap, eucalyptus, ficus benjamina, fire tree, Indian tree, kamagong, mahogany, MacArthur palm, molave, narra, neem, rain tree, rattan, rubber tree, talisay, teak, tiesa and yucca.
Ito na lamang po ang nag-iisang gubat sa lungsod na tumutulong sa Maynila upang mabawasan kahit paano ang polusyon na nasa hangin na nalalanghap ng ating mga kababayan sa Maynila.
Ipakita natin ang ating supporta sa pamamagitan po ng pag-share ng post na ito, at pangangalampag sa opisina ni Manila Mayor Erap Estrada upang ibasura na ang kanyang plano na tuluyang gibain ang Arroceros Park at patayuan ito ng gym.
Maraming salamat po sa inyong pakikiisa at pagsuporta para protektahan ang huling nature park sa ating lungsod. #SaveArroceros”
Along with that, Winner Foundation president Chiqui Mabanta is also looking for registered Manila voters to sign the petition. The organization needs at least 1,000 signatures by around August 20, 2018 in order to create and pursue an ordinance that will help protect Arroceros.
In this age of climate change, we need Arroceros Forest Park for our ecological and health benefits. The Guardian listed down cities with the most dangerous air in Europe, the US, Africa, Asia and more.
Manila happens to be 17th out of 269 cities surveyed. Think about it.
Help #SaveArroceros by signing the petition through this link.