Millions spent for nothing in Suba children’s park rehab

Almost a month since he ordered the rehabilitation of the newly refurbished Children’s Park in Barangay Suba, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama’s order seems to have fallen on deaf ears.

The playground now badly needs repair. And just around half a year since its reopening after years of waiting, yet, perhaps only the slide from 7-Eleven can still be fully enjoyed at the moment, as the millions of pesos worth of donation donated by the private sector have gone to waste.

The mayor at the start of the year already called the attention of the Parks and Playgrounds officials as well as the Department of Agriculture and even the barangay officials.

Rama noted the lack of organization in overseeing the park's welfare.

Apart from that, the mayor also urged parents to instill discipline in their children while using public spaces including the playground.

Rama said he will be meeting with the concerned departments concerning the sad state of the playground which was one of his priority projects for the sake of the children.

The park has long been in existence, according to the residents, until it was converted into a fish market.

During the 2013 earthquake, the fish market around the area sustained major damage.

Instead of putting back the fish market, Rama turned the site into a children’s park anew and inaugurated it in February 2016.

However, less than a year after it was established, the area lost its magic anew when Rama lost his bid for re-election.

It was used as a fish market again until the late mayor Edgardo Labella ordered its temporary closure in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

When Rama got elected as mayor in 2022, it was restored again with Engr. Apollo Enriquez of the AS Enriquez Engineering Consultancy on top of it.