Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 3) — The Manila City government has declared Arroceros Forest Park as a permanent park, Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso said Tuesday.
Moreno said he signed the order dated February 27, which formally declares the park open to the public and withdrawn from sale. The two-hectare parcel of land along Arroceros street in Ermita near the Metropolitan Theater and beside the Pasig River was formerly under DECS Property Management.
“Let’s turn Manila into a green city,” said Moreno.
The city ordinance stated that the order to turn the land into a permanent park stems from the duty to protect the “last environmental frontier of the City.”
The city allotted ₱1 million for the park’s operations. The park management will also collect “enviromental user fees” from visitors. Manila residents will pay ₱5 while those from outside the city will pay ₱15 to enter the park. But visitors under humanitarian programs are exempted from the fee.
The order also laid out fines and sanctions on several violations such as hunting plants and animals, digging, dumping of waste and destroying objects of natural beauty or interest to cultural communities.
Violators will pay a fine of ₱2,500 for the first offense, ₱3,500 for the second and ₱5,000 for the third and/or imprisonment not longer than a year. The City will also designate “peace officers” to take note of violators.
