ILOILO City – The city government has successfully restored its once-deteriorating district plazas. People now enjoy relaxing, bonding and holding get-together activities in these open spaces.
Tourists love them, too, as must-try Ilonggo gastronomic treats such as La Paz batchoy and pancit molo as well as native coffee are just around the corner.
The plazas now attract large crowds, particularly from late afternoon to late evening. They have become favorite hangouts for locals and visitors.
Statues of Ilonggo heroes and history icons were also installed to instill a sense of pride and for the younger generation to know the city’s rich heritage.
Landscaping and lighting as well as speakers and fountains were set up to create a laidback yet modern vibe.
International lifestyle designer PJ Arañador, in his Facebook post, said the plaza restoration project was taxes well spent.
“I don’t mind paying taxes to a city like Iloilo that uses our money properly and innovatively, not only on social and environmental considerations but also in wellness and well-being,” Arañador said.
“To citizens in Iloilo, (good) health (also) means…benches to read a book, trees to take refuge underneath, and plazas to walk on or dance the day. I walk at Jaro Plaza at least three to four times a day. It means a slimmer tummy and a longer life for me and the rest of the residents. Most of all, it’s shared happiness with all Ilonggos,” he added.
Jaro Plaza is well-designed with great flat pavements, ample seats, classical pipe in music, giant tree canopies, picturesque and informative, clean and green, Arañador said, adding, “I only wish it would have a people’s amphitheater, too.”
He suggested that developments should consider becoming “people-centered” amid a busy life.
“Jaro Plaza allows me to walk and get my morning sun at least three times a week. Urban planning is not at all about skyscrapers or roads. It must include amenities that sustain the health of its residents,” he said.
A well-traveled person, Arañador likened to “foreign feels” the new ambiance offered by the park that has been transformed into a feast for the senses.
“In Scandinavian and Nordic countries, they embrace a culture called ‘hygge’ that includes walking every day to go to markets and groceries, etc. It makes them live happier, healthier, and longer. Their cities, like Iloilo City, are walkable. It makes their residents calm and well-balanced,” Arañador said.
“Jaro Plaza is perhaps on par with Central Park in New York City, where I experienced walking with its ample sun benches, including my favorite Vivaldi’s and Tchaikovsky’s playing in the background. I walk to Jaro Plaza, which is a stone’s throw from where I live. I think, sleep, eat, and work better with people because I walk. Thanks, Iloilo City. You are adorable,” he added.
Mayor Jerry P. Treñas stressed, “We want to make public spaces available to our constituents; they are very important as they give people a place to rethink and recharge.”
The Iloilo City Government has initially allocatedP257 million for the major makeover of district plazas: Jaro Plaza (P90 million), La Paz Plaza (P75 million), Arevalo Plaza (P46 million), Plaza Libertad in the City Proper (P30 million), and Mandurriao (P10 million).
Plaza Libertad also got P19 million and Mandurriao Plaza got P17 million, or a total of P36 million, from the Green, Green, Green Program of the Department of Budget and Management and the Department of Interior and Local Government.
The Jaro Plaza bandstand, belfry, and Lopez Jaena shrine as well as Molo Plaza were funded by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines.
Plaza Libertad has paved the way for an assembly area now being used for Monday’s flag-raising ceremony and other programs organized by offices.
The plazas’ perimeters have been opened for easy access, except for La Paz, which will be installed with a grilled fence to secure the facilities inside.
A retention pond and improved drainage system have made the area flood-free by catching rainwater, which can be utilized for watering plants.
The football field will be provided with lights so that the players can still play at night.
The development of La Paz Plaza has been added with features including a Koi Lagoon and a proposed Butterfly Garden, in partnership with the private sector.
The Liga ng mga Barangay office will be replaced by a community center with a library in front of the La Paz Church.
Meanwhile, the gymnasium in Jaro Plaza will be relocated to Alta Tierra Subdivision.
These development projects contribute to the improvement of the whole city and always benefit every Ilonggo./PN
