PBA wants to make Manila Zoo their New Home

July 2, 2007

Yes, you've read it right. The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is looking into the possibility of making Manila Zoo their new home. Unless the PBA players are willing to cohabitate with the righful residents of the zoo, I have no objection to the proposal. There are lots of empty cages for them to occupy. But the proposal intends to tear down the decades-old zoo to build the PBA Dome. The newly elected officials of the city, namely Vice-Mayor Isko Moreno and 5th District Representative Amado Bagatsing are supporting the proposal because according to them, the plan would generate revenues for the local government and employment for the people of Manila.
As part of the Buhayin ang Maynila project, outgoing Mayor Lito Atienza rejuvenated the zoo, building new facilities for the animals and zoo visitors. He tapped private individuals and private organizations to join him in this cause. As a result, people started flocking back to the zoo. The zoo still stinks (which zoo doesn't, anyway?) and lacks personnel to look after the animals but I appreciate what the city government under his reign had done for the zoo and the animals.
Naturally, Atienza is opposing the proposal. His main concerns are the animals and the centuries-old trees lining the perimeters of the zoo. Where would the animals go? What would happen to the trees? Moreno and Bagatsing have all it planned out: They will just transfer the zoo to a much bigger place where the animals will have more freedom to move around. Where that place is they have yet to reveal.
Personally I want the zoo where it is right now - where it has been since opening its gates to the public 48 years ago. The zoo is part of every Filipino kid's childhood. Take away the zoo and you take away from each of us a part of our childhood.

The main attraction of the zoo is still there, the melancholic elephant. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think Manila zoo is the only zoo in the Philippines that has an elephant in its collection. That alone should be enough to keep the PBA away from the zoo.