Photo / Local Philippines
When was the last time you’ve been to Manila Zoo? Whenever that was, chances are, the zoo wasn’t in its best shape. One netizen recently wrote an open letter, pointing out the trash in the zoo and in the animals’ homes.
But that will soon change, as the zoo will undergo a major renovation beginning July to make it world-class.
The Manila government has signed a joint-venture agreement with Metropolitan Zoo and Botanical Garden, Inc.
to renovate the zoo for P1.5 billion.
According to Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, “The renovation will start by July, as I enter my third year as mayor. 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.”
This will be the first major renovation since the zoo opened in 1959. Facelifts were done before, but only on a minor scale.
As for the renovations, the project will add bigger and better enclosures for the animals, and even new species.
James Albert Dichaves, director of the Manila Parks and Recreations Bureau, told Inquirer.net that the zoo will also invest in a separate breeding and resting park outside Manila for the animals. Estrada said that the new zoo will be similar to the one in Singapore.
The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has lobbied for the Manila Zoo to close since 2007. However, then mayor Alfredo Lim didn’t allow the closure.
What do you want to see in the new Manila Zoo? Share your thoughts below!
