Beautiful green spaces are sprouting in Philippine cities. In San Pablo, Laguna, the Doña Leonila Park used to be just another open space because it was unkempt.
“It was hardly appreciated because there was no clear significant use for the place, there was no striking aesthetic value,” shares Senior Tourism Officer Luzviminda Migriño. “It was poorly lighted, and there have been compromising [incidents] there. It was bare ground with patches of shrubs, wild plants and overgrown trees, with a broken fountain, broken concrete benches, and a deteriorated bandstand.”
Such is the picture of many idle public spaces in Philippine cities. But today, the park is a vital place for the community. After redevelopment, it became a go-to for local communities — an amphitheatre, porous pavers, a restored fountain, underwater lighting, and new walkways gave the park a new feel.
While recent lockdown guidelines restrict gatherings, the park allowed the city to hold socially-distanced events last year. Sanggunian sessions, and events such as the Simbang Gabi sa Parke, and the 26th Coco Festival observed proper distancing and conscious efforts to stem COVID-19.
“It gave our people a wholesome place to walk around and while away the time,” Tourism Officer Maria Donnalyn Briñas says of the new space.
Read the full article on CNN Philippines
Author: Ragene Andrea L. Palma and Don Patrick C. Manlangit
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