A walk in the park

Piles of garbage. Rusty benches. Withered leaves. Busted lights.

These are only some of the things that made parks in Manila lose their allure. And these are only some of the reasons why many Manileños now opt for malls than the free, natural outdoors.

But these things are now gone. Well, at least at the Raja Sulayman Park fronting Malate Church. The park has been reborn, waiting to be rediscovered by Manila residents.

The Raja Sulayman Park is now known to be a place for relaxation not just for the young but for the old as well. With more than a dozen of benches arranged side by side, tourists can sit while watching the water fountain at the center of the park dance along with classical music.

"We don’t have to have expensive weekend activities for the family. We can just enjoy the view and later eat in one of the restaurants here," said Leonora Buensoceso, who, together with her husband, walked in the park last Sunday. They just attended Mass at the Malate Church.

The Buensocesos were among the families now strolling the park, appreciating the latest improvement carried out by the local government under the stewardship of Manila Mayor Lito Atienza.

One doesn’t have to be confined at the park, since a portion of Roxas Boulevard just across Raja Sulayman Park is now considered an extension. There, people could leisurely walk as they watch the waves of Manila Bay.

At the park’s extension literally sits the statue of the late Mayor Arsenio Lacson reading a newspaper. The statue is now a favorite background of strollers for their pictures.

Aside from the six-foot-tall Lacson statue, the view of the sunset at the Manila Bay makes the park more captivating.

"It may sound exaggerated but I consider staying at the park enchanting. Watching a spectacular fountain and listening to classical music with the view of the Manila Bay sunset as a backdrop make me feel like I’m away from Manila’s hustle and bustle," said Manuel Castillo.

Castillo said he visits the park at least three times a week after office hours. "I have invited my officemates to see the park for themselves. We don’t need to go out the metropolis just to relax if we have many parks like this."

Atienza is proud of his achievement. "This is the experience the city government wants to give to the public. It is for the same reason that the (Manila) City Council passed in late 1980s an ordinance prohibiting any reclamation work on the bay," he said.

According to Atienza, Manila is the only city in the metropolis which has the captivating Manila Bay view since portions of Manila Bay in the cities of Pasay and Parañaque have been reclaimed and now belong to private individuals.

Atienza said Raja Sulayman and Lacson’s statue on Roxas Boulevard are just the start of development in the area. The city government, he said, is now transforming the stretch of the boulevard into a promenade.

"We will develop the boulevard from US Embassy near United Nations Avenue to the Philippine Navy headquarters in Quirino into a promenade, so everyone can walk and enjoy the view of the bay," he said.

Atienza refused to divulge how much the park and the spectacular fountain cost, but said the budget came from different sources, such as his office’s developmental fund.

The Raja Sulayman Park is part of Atienza’s Buhayin and Maynila program. Liwasang Bonifacio, Plaza Miranda, Plaza Lacson (at the underpass of Quiapo) and Plaza Moriones are among the areas transformed into tourists destinations by his administration.