Council wants to restore Pasil children’s park

CEBU, Philippines —  Over two years after it was opened, the amenities inside the Cebu City’s children’s park in Barangay Pasil can no longer be used because of the lack of proper maintenance.

With this, the City Council asked the Parks and Playgrounds to restore and maintain the San Nicholas Children’s Park for social and recreational activities of the children in the city.

In an approved resolution, Councilor Joel Garganera said parks and playgrounds have contributed to the growth and social welfare of the children living near the park.

“Due to the passage of time, the cranes and other animal decorations that are crafted out of recycled tires have been removed and piled at the far end of the park. Instead of young kids and their families playing around, wild shrubs and garbage now fill the children’s park and the recreational equipment are no longer well-maintained and preserved by the city government,” reads a portion of his resolution.

The opening of 3,000-square-meter park in Barangay Pasil was among the highlights of Cebu City's 79th Charter Day anniversary on February 24, 2016, during the previous administration.

When it was opened and launched, the park used to have slides, swings, seesaws, and monkey bars. There were also used tires recycled and formed into different objects and animals like turtles, snakes, birds, chairs, tables, elephants, among others.

The area used to hold the Pasil Fish Market which was among the establishments affected when 7.2-magnitude earthquake hit Visayas including Cebu City in October 2013.

But before it was developed into a Pasil Fish Market years ago, Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera said her father told her that the area was used to be park.

Garganera said open grounds and parks will give children a chance to communicate and interact with other people in order to develop their social interaction skills which are essential in a child’s maturation process.

But Councilor Joy Augustus Young said the city government is eyeing to construct a school building in the area.

Young, chairman of the council’s committee on education, said he has no objection on the restoration of the park. But he believes that the area is not safe for children.

Councilor Alvin Arcilla, chairman of the council’s committee on market, said the market authority also plans to temporarily use the area as a fish port since there’s a plan to renovate the existing Pasil Fish Port located at the back of the park.

“We have P4.9 million budget for the renovation of the fish port in Barangay Pasil and we consider that area (park) as temporary nga kabalhinan,” he said.

Since there were no objections, the City Council approved the resolution of Garganera. — MBG (FREEMAN)