Visit our new fountain at the Bonifacio Shrine
Published Feb 16, 2020 12:00 am
BATANG MAYNILA
By MAYOR ISKO MORENO
Mayor Isko Moreno
It has been an eventful week for the city of Manila.
I am truly proud and honored to have finally opened to the public another attraction where tourists and locals alike may enjoy the company of family, friends, and loved ones without having to spend anything at all.
I am speaking of the new fountainlocated right in front of the now famous Bonifacio Shrine, located beside the Manila City Hall.
Thanks to PLDT/Smart, Maynilad, and Meralco, the project which I and city engineer Armand Andres have worked on for quite some time has finally reached fruition, all with a bang.
I am also happy that the project made it to our targeted deadline, which was to serve as a free “go to” place on Valentine’s Day, as it was inaugurated two days before February 14.
While indeed, the fountain costs a lot, let me assure everyone that not a single cent was drawn from the city coffers.
As I always say, “Laway-laway lang ang puhunan todits.” Although it took a lot of effort and time talking to a lot of people, it was well worth it. That is why I can’t thank them enough for all the help extended to the city government.
Back to the fountain. The high-tech, interactive, colorful, musical, dancing fountain that we have placed in a space fronting the Bonifacio Shrine has unique features.
The site is a totally “walkable” area by day and then at night, it transforms into a fountain site where colorful water jets shoot up in sync with lively Filipino musical hits and with the center jet shooting water as high as 20 feet or seven meters high. The water jets also form the Philippine flag and this can be fully seen via drone shot.
The new fountain complements the changes introduced at the Bonifacio Shrine, which has become a favorite destination for promenaders, strollers, and those who simply want to while their time away.
Come to think of it, we did not do much. We simply restored the area to what it should really be — a clean, historic site befitting being home to the monument of our country’s beloved and highly revered hero, Gat Andres Bonifacio.
From what used to be a filthy and smelly haven for illegal vendors, vagrants, and drug sessions — the whole area which was full of urine and feces, earning the tag, “tae-tae island” — what we in the new officialdom did was merely clean up the area real hard, remove all obstructions and makeshift stalls and hangouts, and give it back to the people.
We brightened the area with plain lights, adorned the trees with cheap and simple plain capiz light balls, put some benches, and then installed Wi-Fi which the park visitors enjoy free of charge.
With the new fountain now in place, the people, particularly the residents of Manila, now have more reason to visit and stay in the park.
When we tested the fountain, a kid was there. As soon as the colored water jets began shooting up and the music started to play, the kid was awed, screaming: “Ang ganda!”
The ear-to-ear grin created by the sight on his face was priceless. The happiness and satisfaction brought about in making someone happy as you deliver public service, is something that no amount of money can buy.
I don’t need for the people to thank me literally. All I ask is for them to return the favor by keeping the area and all other parts of Manila in proper order and clean at all times.
From time to time, I look at the area and observe the people there. For the first time in years, I see commuters lining up in a very organized manner to get a ride and this, to me, is an achievement in itself.
It gives me a sense of gratification that our campaign for going back to the basics like cleanliness and orderliness is finally making sense to the ordinary people of Manila and I can only hope that this becomes really contagious, until everyone in every nook and cranny of the city finally heeds our call.
Let us all do this, if not for our own sake at least for the sake of the future generations. Let us bequeath to and instill in the minds of our youngsters the importance of cleanliness and orderliness in everything we have and do.
Mayor Isko Moreno
It has been an eventful week for the city of Manila.
I am truly proud and honored to have finally opened to the public another attraction where tourists and locals alike may enjoy the company of family, friends, and loved ones without having to spend anything at all.
I am speaking of the new fountainlocated right in front of the now famous Bonifacio Shrine, located beside the Manila City Hall.
Thanks to PLDT/Smart, Maynilad, and Meralco, the project which I and city engineer Armand Andres have worked on for quite some time has finally reached fruition, all with a bang.
I am also happy that the project made it to our targeted deadline, which was to serve as a free “go to” place on Valentine’s Day, as it was inaugurated two days before February 14.
While indeed, the fountain costs a lot, let me assure everyone that not a single cent was drawn from the city coffers.
As I always say, “Laway-laway lang ang puhunan todits.” Although it took a lot of effort and time talking to a lot of people, it was well worth it. That is why I can’t thank them enough for all the help extended to the city government.
Back to the fountain. The high-tech, interactive, colorful, musical, dancing fountain that we have placed in a space fronting the Bonifacio Shrine has unique features.
The site is a totally “walkable” area by day and then at night, it transforms into a fountain site where colorful water jets shoot up in sync with lively Filipino musical hits and with the center jet shooting water as high as 20 feet or seven meters high. The water jets also form the Philippine flag and this can be fully seen via drone shot.
The new fountain complements the changes introduced at the Bonifacio Shrine, which has become a favorite destination for promenaders, strollers, and those who simply want to while their time away.
Come to think of it, we did not do much. We simply restored the area to what it should really be — a clean, historic site befitting being home to the monument of our country’s beloved and highly revered hero, Gat Andres Bonifacio.
From what used to be a filthy and smelly haven for illegal vendors, vagrants, and drug sessions — the whole area which was full of urine and feces, earning the tag, “tae-tae island” — what we in the new officialdom did was merely clean up the area real hard, remove all obstructions and makeshift stalls and hangouts, and give it back to the people.
We brightened the area with plain lights, adorned the trees with cheap and simple plain capiz light balls, put some benches, and then installed Wi-Fi which the park visitors enjoy free of charge.
With the new fountain now in place, the people, particularly the residents of Manila, now have more reason to visit and stay in the park.
When we tested the fountain, a kid was there. As soon as the colored water jets began shooting up and the music started to play, the kid was awed, screaming: “Ang ganda!”
The ear-to-ear grin created by the sight on his face was priceless. The happiness and satisfaction brought about in making someone happy as you deliver public service, is something that no amount of money can buy.
I don’t need for the people to thank me literally. All I ask is for them to return the favor by keeping the area and all other parts of Manila in proper order and clean at all times.
From time to time, I look at the area and observe the people there. For the first time in years, I see commuters lining up in a very organized manner to get a ride and this, to me, is an achievement in itself.
It gives me a sense of gratification that our campaign for going back to the basics like cleanliness and orderliness is finally making sense to the ordinary people of Manila and I can only hope that this becomes really contagious, until everyone in every nook and cranny of the city finally heeds our call.
Let us all do this, if not for our own sake at least for the sake of the future generations. Let us bequeath to and instill in the minds of our youngsters the importance of cleanliness and orderliness in everything we have and do.
* * *
Walang mag mamalasakit sa Maynila kundi tayo ding mga Batang Maynila. Manila, God first!* * *
For updates on developments in the city of Manila, please visit my Facebook account: Isko Moreno Domagoso.