What will happen to the Manila Zoo?

I used to bring my little children on field trips there. What about today’s little children? Are they going to have to live forever without a zoo?

Once upon a time, around 30 years ago, I worked for Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines, Inc. as its corporate communications director (CCD) and concurrently chairman and president of the Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines Inc. (CCFPI). As CCD I worked for the for-profit company, and as chairman and president of the foundation I handled the non-profit work for the company.

Those were wonderful times. Democracy was restored to the Philippines in 1986, with martial law ending and Cory Aquino taking over. Private business decided to help through their corporate foundation. We decided to set up the League of Corporate Foundations that still exists to this day. I am proud to have been one of its founding members.

When I joined Coca-Cola as head of its foundation my orientation took on a different twist. There were many children who were very poor, who needed education, better classrooms that turned us in the direction of scholarships, art contests, in the direction of helping people who had considerably less in life. One day, one of my closest friends called and asked me if the foundation would help the animals in the zoo. I had just come from a visit to a slum and the dire circumstances that confront you there. I met a young couple who were very proud of their new baby. We’re so happy he’s still alive the young mother said. Why? I asked. Ma’am, this is our third. The first two died from bites of big rats. You cannot imagine how that brief conversation turned me upside-down.

I get back to the office feeling very upset and she calls me asking me to please give money to the zoo to improve the conditions there. I told her I absolutely couldn’t. I had just come from visiting people who needed it much more than animals do.

 That was 30 years ago. Would I feel the same way now?

My husband and I had lunch at Happy Garden Café the other day. We hadn’t been there for a long time. In fact I had not visited Sunshine Place so much after I got married. I missed it, true, but getting settled in my new life just took up most of my time. As we settled at our table I looked to the side and saw Harvey Chua, my little friend who’s about 2/3 my height, who started our friendship by being my writing student. Her husband was John Chua, a prominent photographer we used a lot when I worked in advertising. I remember writing about them when I ran into them at Sunshine Place. I was so impressed then as Harvey had Parkinson’s Disease and her hands always shook. But she was very brave about it. And John was very sweet about it too. I thought he would take care of her for the rest of their lives.

But as the year progressed John discovered he had cancer and passed away. My heart broke over that. Who would take care of the elephant in the zoo that John had been taking care of all these years? Who would continue the programs they had for autistic children? Last but not least, who would take care of Harvey?

 Wonderfully competent Harvey doesn’t seem to need that much care. She took over John’s duties and looks pretty happy about the work. As I was chatting with her she asked, Do you know that the Manila Zoo is closed? Temporarily, they say but I don’t really know for how long.

No, I didn’t know, I said. I have no more little children to bring to the zoo so it doesn’t raise my hackles but one of these days I may have great-grandchildren. Where would I take them? Didn’t you feed the elephant there? Can you still do it? Yes, we still try to feed it and they do let us in but I’m afraid that any day they may just close down.

Where will they bring the animals? I ask.

We don’t know, she says and I know she is upset by all this. Nobody tells us anything. I heard they have sold the property but for all I know that’s gossip, she says.

“May I write about this?” I ask her. I mean the zoo is an institution for me. I used to bring my little children on field trips there. What about today’s little children? Are they going to have to live forever without a zoo?

“Yes,” she says. “People should know what will happen to the animals. Where will they go? Who will feed them?”

 I agree. We should at least know where the animals will be sent and how we can help.

In the end, I realize I cannot bear the thought of lions, tigers, bears and elephants starving to death and just quietly dying. In the end we must have room in our purses to help everyone who needs help. Even animals. So somebody out there who knows, can you please let us know what will happen to the Manila Zoo?

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