Photo courtesy of Manila DTCAM

A nearly one-hectare site in Pandacan that was once used as a dusty, debris-filled area has been transformed into a public park for senior citizens and pets, seven months after construction began.

The project broke ground in January as a joint undertaking of the Manila city government, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), and the MMDA.

Domagoso said the site had long been a barren and underused area that generated dust and pollution for nearby residents.

He said the park was already being used even before the inauguration ceremony, noting that he and MMDA Chairperson Romando Artes saw a senior citizen exercising there earlier in the morning.

The project was funded through the Local Government Support Fund’s Green, Green, Green program, with additional support from the MMDA after Manila sought more funding.

Artes said the park was completed within the six-month timeline promised to residents during the groundbreaking.

He recalled that the site had previously been used largely as a parking area and was filled with debris and loose rocks.

Budget Secretary Kim Robert De Leon said the project showed how national and local governments could work together to deliver community projects.

Domagoso also thanked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for supporting the project despite their political differences, saying both sides set those differences aside to work for Manila residents.

He also credited Robinsons Land for its contribution to the project and called on Pandacan barangay officials to help maintain and secure the park.

Artes said the MMDA and DBM worked together on the funding after Manila requested additional support, adding that the project showed that local and national agencies could cooperate regardless of political affiliation.