We are overjoyed at the declaration of Arroceros park as a permanent park as per Ordinance No. 8607 signed last 2 Mar 2020 by the City of Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso. We salute the people who have campaigned hard to make this ordinance possible. We commend the Manila Mayor for heeding the call of his constituents to protect, preserve and develop the last remaining lung of the city of Manila.
The ordinance will benefit first and foremost, the people of the city. The trees and plants when preserved can make the city’s air fresher and cooler. Children will have a safer place to play. Senior citizens can have a secured path to walk through. People in general will have space for recreation, for socializing and for communing with nature. Better health for the citizens can be achieved as the park can help rid the city of carbon dioxide and pollution produced by transportation, factories and industries proliferating in the city. It can also serve as a refuge or a safer space in times of calamities. It will be to the people’s utmost interest.
Likewise, the ordinance is needed and timely given the call for bolder actions in view of the worldwide call to declare climate emergency. Eleven thousand (11,000) scientists from 153 countries have warned humanity of catastrophic impact of climate change not only to environment but to humankind itself, if societies all over the world will do their business as usual and if we continue the way we live. Climate Change scientists point to preservation of trees, plants and the whole forest ecosystem as among one of the most natural and effective solutions to the continuing global warming.
More so, with this new city ordinance, the plan to construct a gym and make it a commercial area has been effectively stalled. We need to protect the environment from the hands of greedy businessmen and corporations that only think of nature as source of profit. These kinds of businesses, specifically those into extraction and utilization of natural resources, like mining, have already caused huge damage to our environment. We need to engage them and hold them accountable for all their “ecological sins” so that people’s and nature’s rights are upheld and protected.
But more than the benefits for people and humankind, this is a victory for mother earth. Preserving the Arroceros Park will save various species of plants, trees and sentient animals living on it.
So far, this action is the second most recent victories to protect mother nature by a local government. The first is the Cebuano’s move to save the centuries old Carcar Acacia Trees against the planned road widening project of the government. Both are victories for mother earth, and we expect more and bolder moves of people standing for the environment.
We look forward to a bandwagon of local governments adopting more resolutions and ordinances protecting nature. And even as PMPI pushes for a national bill recognizing the Rights of Nature, a synchronized action with local government units to push for a new legal framework recognizing nature as having rights and parallel drive to implement existing environmental laws are urgently needed.
