EDITORIAL — Green Green Green

The COVID pandemic turned many Filipinos into plant enthusiasts – plantitos and plantitas – and promoted outdoor recreation. In crowded Metro Manila and other urban centers, however, this highlighted the acute lack of green open spaces.

Last Friday, it was announced that the national government had allocated P1 billion to develop parks and other green spaces nationwide including in the National Capital Region. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, for its part, announced it would provide an additional P200 million to local government units in the NCR to put up green spaces. The MMDA said the supplemental funding would allow Metro Manila LGUs to install features such as rainwater harvesting systems.

The amounts mentioned are less than double the P660 million reportedly allocated for landscaping alone of the complex that will serve as the new home of the Senate in tony BGC. As in other budget allocations, local government utilization of the funds will also have to be closely watched to ensure that these are used for their intended purpose.

Still, the limited funds can enhance or jump-start efforts to develop livable and sustainable communities. As envisioned under the Green Green Green Program of the Local Government Support Fund, the P1.055 billion is meant for the construction, rehabilitation, repair or improvement of parks and other green open spaces, which will feature footpaths and walkways, bicycle lanes with bike racks, sports facilities and recreational trails that promote active mobility.

The Department of Budget and Management is releasing the funds to 80 LGUs nationwide – 38 cities and municipalities in Luzon and 21 each in the Visayas and Mindanao. The DBM has said all projects to be funded under Green Green Green must conform with environmental principles and certain design concepts and safety standards. A list of projects will be released by the DBM, with the implementation to be monitored by the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

Green spaces – what’s not to like in this concept? There’s funding and there’s a plan. What’s left is always the tricky part in this country: efficient implementation.