Earlier this morning, representatives from the UP Office of Community Relations (OCR), engineers, and architects went to Block 2 of Pook Arboretum to attempt an initial ocular inspection of the area for the intended UP-Philippine General Hospital (PGH) extension project and conduct a census of urban poor residents in the community.
This was quickly blocked by several residents and community organizers, staging a protest prompting a dialogue between the two parties. The UP administration, engineers, and architects left with their materials after the community asserted that without concrete plans involving them, they will not agree to any census or ocular inspection.
For the residents and organizers, it is clear that the UP-PGH project is a sign of a more dire future for UP Arboretum. The project is not just an initiative of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Program, but part of the larger Master Development Plan and Land Use Plan of the University. Included in this plan are open expansion areas that may be used by big companies to build commercial zones much like UP Ayala Technohub and UP Town Center.
This plan, if continued in its current state, will be at the expense of one of Metro Manila’s last remaining rainforests, its wildlife, and the community that served as its protectors for decades. Various groups also slammed the proposal of a PGH extension as the PGH in UP Manila direly needs improvement and budget.
