MMDA proposes safety park, 9 footbridges in Metro Manila

MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is proposing to construct next year a “Children’s Safety Park” in Pateros and nine pedestrian footbridges in Metro Manila.

Based on its annual procurement plan for local infrastructure projects for 2019, the MMDA said that around P6.5 million will be spent for the construction of the  park  and P129.040 million for the construction of nine footbridges.

Another P5 million will be allotted for the rehabilitation of the MMDA’s Traffic Engineering Center at its compound in Sta. Mesa, Manila.

Bong Nebrija, MMDA supervising operations officer, said they will construct the safety park in Pateros for residents of southern Metro Manila.

A similar safety park, put up along Quirino Avenue in Malate, Manila in 2014, drew flak during the time of then MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino.

“For me, this project is beautiful because it will help children follow simple traffic rules and regulations. It is a basic life skill, learning basic traffic signs while playing in the park,” he said.

The MMDA said it is planning to construct footbridges with “solar-powered lighting” in Parañaque, Manila, Pasay, Mandaluyong, Makati and Valenzuela.

The MMDA was recently criticized for what netizens described as the “stairway to heaven,” referring to the footbridge that goes over the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 rails near the MRT-3’s GMA Kamuning station in Quezon City.

The MMDA said it will open the footbridge to the public on Nov. 27 after it has been redesigned.