Group starts signature campaign vs building of gym inside Arroceros Forest Park

A signature campaign was launched by the "caretaker" of Arroceros Forest Park to oppose the plan of the Manila City government to construct the gymnasium of the Unibersidad De Manila  within the compound.

A report on 24 Oras by Tina Panganiban-Perez on Thursday said that Winner Foundation aims to collect 1,000 signatures for the protection of the park.

"The park has been constantly threatened by different local government. We would like to declare the park, a tree park that wala ng threats no..." said foundation president Chiqui Mabanta, adding that there is a law stating that the local government must maintain its portion in preserving forested areas as part of environmental protection efforts.

The Arroceros Forest is one of the remaining forested areas in Manila, home to an estimated 4,000 trees.

According to the local government, the said property was bought in 1993 for education purposes.

"Binili po ito ng lungsod sa Land Bank of the Philippines at ang very purpose po, ang tanging layunin nung binili ito noong 1993 eh para pagtayuan po ng vocational school and for other educational purposes," said Attorney Enrico Alcovendaz, spokesperson of Manila City government.

He said only 2,000 square meters of the park, which has a land area of about 21,000 square meters, was allotted for the school gymnasium.

"Dahil sa kahilingan nila kay Mayor Erap nagkaroon ho ng status quo, di muna namin ipinilit na kunin ang possession ng Arroceros Forest Park," said Alcovendaz.

But, Mabanta said: "Two thousand meters is a huge huge, hundreds of trees will still be torn down, ang liit liit na nga ng park."

The foundation suggested that the gymnasium should be constructed in other properties of the city of Manila.

The city government said it was in 2008 when the memorandum of agreement, which stated that Winner Foundation has been given the task to take care of the park, had ended.

"I find it hard to believe that the local government can't see the benefits of this park. Why they keep bringing this MOA up means they want us out di ba?" Mabanta said. — Anna Felicia Bajo/BAP, GMA News