Yes, Cebu City has a zoo!

“Tigers!”, “Zebras!”, Fishes!”

CEBU, Philippines - These were the answers of a group seven-year-old kids when asked what comes to mind when they hear the word “zoo”.

When asked if they have seen the animals in the city’s zoo, however, the children simply gave blank stares and timid smiles, pushing each other playfully. After quite some time, a tall and lanky kid asked, “Ma’am, naa diay zoo diri Cebu? (Ma’am, do we really have a zoo here in Cebu?”

The reactions and the question were surprising, so much so that even a group of first year college students also did not know that a zoo indeed exists here.

Giovanni Romarate, manager of the Cebu Zoo, admits not many know about the zoo. This truth is painful, he says, because he and his team work very hard to keep the zoo in shape on a very meager budget. ‘Father Giovanni’, as what his co-workers fondly call him, says they continue to seek support from private entities because the zoo isn’t exactly the city’s priority.

“It’s not their priority,” he says.

The Cebu Zoo sits on a 7.6 hectare lot in Barangay Kalunasan, a property that the city government had to wrestle from the provincial government back in 2009. It is under the supervision of the Office of the Mayor.

This year, the zoo won’t be expecting additional budget from the city, especially after the City Council cut the city’s overall budget proposed by Mayor Michael Rama. Still, Father Giovanni says they are thankful of the support Rama has given the zoo, so far.

Rama donated eight monkeys while South District Representative Tomas Osmeña donated a parrot to the zoo.

In an interview, Rama says the zoo will be in the plans of the city government because it is part of its holistic growth. The “holistic plan”, he says, involves growth of the South Reclamation Project, revitalization of the downtown area, improvement of the upland area, as well as preservation of the environment.

Rama says the city wants the zoo to be globally competitive and the same would need a big amount to get materialized.

“Buying of the animals first and foremost, is very expensive. The maintenance and feeding is a big add-on,” the mayor says.

“That is one direction that we would really want to pursue,” he says, adding, that he would want the children of the city to be able to see animals personally, not only in books.

He says the city is also grateful to Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia for supporting its objective to let the zoo prosper.

“We are very thankful that we have a governor that is very supportive. Wala papahawaa ang zoo. But anyway, whoever the property is, city or the province, it is in the island and it is part of our plans,” Rama says.

Background

A project of former city councilor Raymundo Crystal in the late 1950s, the Cebu Zoo was conceived through the land donation of then Governor Rene Espina and the Cebu Boy Scout Organization.

Father Eleuterio Tropa was the first manager of the zoo.

Father Giovanni remembers Tropa very clearly, saying it was from him where he got some of his management skills.

“Father Tropa practiced two ways of managing the zoo – authoritarian and another strict – but friendly way of leading the people. I got the latter one,” he says.

Tropa, known for walking around with his long hair and beard with a huge snake hanging around his neck, was said to be very protective of the zoo.

Now, Father Giovanni says he is continuing what the previous manager has done and then some. He officially assumed as zoo manager in 2007 and says he practically grew up there.

He started helping his father at the zoo at a young age of eight. At that time, the zoo was located at the Sudlon Agriculture. He said his father, together with a good friend, Ferdinand Briones, made a drastic change in their careers from being hunters to animal keepers.

Before he took on the job of zoo manager, he was working with a job that was paying off far better than what he is receiving now, but his passion for animals and the connection has with the Cebu zoo reportedly made the choice a no-brainer.

Since then, he had envisioned of a world-class and interactive zoo that families can enjoy and learn from.

“A zoo is important in a city because aside from the fact that it gives people more information and knowledge about animals and the ecosystem, our zoo in particular will also help on environmental protection, promotion and more,” he says.

Present state

The zoo now has around 35 different species including dogs of different breeds coming from personal owners. It also houses sheeps, parrots, guinea fowls, monkeys and reptiles, including a crocodile that the zoo is very proud of as it is the only crocodile in the country that can be touched by visitors.

Father Giovanni says they are very thankful of the private individuals who have entrusted their pets to the zoo instead of keeping the animals at their own houses. These private owners have lent the animals to the zoo to provide more attraction to visitors.

The most popular animal under the care of the zoo is the seven-year old tiger, Bogart. The Bengal tiger was a pet of Father Giovanni and his family.

“It was a gift to my daughter and ever since it was small, it has lived with us in our home. It was free like a domesticated cat,” he says.

Father Giovanni says it was when the tiger was getting big that they decided to transfer it to the zoo. The family is reportedly happy that Bogart is one of those that attract visitors.

Problems

The problem, he says, is that the zoo lacks the proper resources to give the animals like Bogart the appropriate shelter.

“We bought our own welding machine, and now we make most of our cages from materials donated by kind people in Cebu,” he says.

He admits that the cages they have at the zoo are certainly not conducive for the animals. In fact, there are reportedly other private owners who are willing to lend their pets to the zoo, but remain hesitant because of the kind of cages they will be put in.

Aside from materials for cages, Father Giovanni says they have also asked for filling materials from companies so they can make pavements while they seek for log and wood donations to be made into nipa huts and tree houses that would serve as shelter for guests during their tour.

In February, an American had donated four tigers to the zoo, but, unfortunately, the tigers died in Hongkong before they could be brought to Cebu. The tigers reportedly died because no handler was present to take care of the animals while on transit.

Two months later, Father Giovanni received a call from the same American who told him he would be willing to donate more tigers to the zoo.

The problem, however, was that the animals had to be flown in from the United States. Father Giovanni said they tried to ask for support from the public for airfare for a handler who can fetch the animals, for the animals themselves, and for the crate that would be used to put each tiger in, but still has not come up with the amount. 

Father Giovanni says he only has two main goals – that children here need not go to other places to see the animals they see in books and that he can share his love for animals with others who might have the innate gift of nurturing animals.

Since last year, the zoo has had 14,000 visitors, but for a facility that aims to be world class, it might be to its advantage if Father Giovanni’s goals would be met. But these goals might just be difficult to meet if only but a handful of animals are present at the zoo. — /JMO