Manila Zoo to be turned into a ‘world-class attraction’

For most, Manila Zoo serves as a happy memory of field trips in elementary school. Now apparently, the Manila City government wants to do a few tweaks here and there to turn the it “world-class”–with these few tweaks amounting to P1.5 billion.

Manila officials, led by Mayor Joseph Estrada, is set to sign an agreement with Metropolitan Zoo and Botanical Garden, Inc. for Manila Zoo’s rehabilitation. This rehab involves additional attractions (i.e., infrastructure upgrades) and more animal species while offering top-notch services to visitors, with the Singapore Zoo as the peg.

James Albert Dichaves, director of the Manila Parks and Recreations Bureau which has direct control over the zoo, says, “We are doing a complete overhaul. After this project, the zoo will not look anything like it is today. It will be totally modern,”

The agreement, however, has provisions that Metropolitan Zoo and Botanical Garden, Inc. must first satisfy the specifications set by the city as Metropolitan is a newly-formed company without any experience in building or operating zoos.

Nathaniel R. Melican of the Philippine Daily Inquirer reports: “Discussions for renovating Manila Zoo started in 2013 when the city government entertained unsolicited proposals from a group of Singaporean investors and from the locally-owned Metropolitan Zoo and Botanical Garden Inc. The two groups gave presentations on their plans, with the local firm besting the Singaporean offer.”

The project is set to begin in July. “The renovation will start by July, as I enter my third year as mayor,” Estrada said. “We hope to finish it before my term ends. The project will be done in phases, so the zoo will not have to close while the renovation is going on.”

Netizens have expressed their concern over the matter, some on the environmental issues such as the possible cutting of more trees for the buildings, others on the current zoo animals’ welfare. But like it or not, the project will go as planned. Manila Zoo will soon be upgraded to a supposedly more entertaining place.

Banner photo from en.wikipedia.org.