Oasis of green downtown

Saturday, January 28, 2012

PLAZA Independencia, at 2,500 square meters, is the largest park in Cebu City, an oasis of green that has been there since the Spanish times. In the 1600s, it was called Plaza de Armas, which the Spanish military, based in Fort San Pedro, used as its training and parade ground. A brief history of the place notes that “Later, by realizing its necessity to the public, it was widened, reaching far enough to the properties (near) the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral.”

It was later known, towards the end of the Spanish era, as Plaza Maria Cristina in honor of the reigning Spanish queen. The Americans changed its name to Plaza Libertad, and the place became known as Plaza Independencia after the Americans left. Today the complex consists of the main plaza and Fort San Pedro, including the grounds surrounding the fort.

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Because of its place in Cebu history and the city’s need for an oasis of green, Mayor Michael Rama, as city vice mayor in 2004, formed the Plaza Independencia Redux Design Team to redesign the plaza when the “subterranean tunnel project of the national government was at its initial phase.” With the tunnel project finished, the Parks and Playgrounds Committee under chairman Dr. Librado Macaraya Jr. is finally implementing the design made by the Rajah Humabon Cebu Chapter of the United Architects of the Philippines.

Today, the main plaza sports a new look and a new atmosphere: gone are the vendors inside the plaza; the terrain has been flattened to make visible all the corners of the plaza. It is well secured night and day and well lighted at night.

The heritage park and fountain, the Legaspi Obelisk, the Ramon Magsaysay statue, the War Veterans memorial, and the Japanese peace memorial have been retained.
Gone is the skating rink, and except for the structure needed for any emergency in the tunnel that may arise, the view of the plaza is unobstructed.

The fort is clearly visible from M.J. Cuenco Ave., and the Malacañang sa Sugbo is visible from its Legaspi St. side. It has a perimeter walk, a main concourse, a pedestrian concourse, and benches under ancient trees. The clean, green and peaceful atmosphere has lured a different kind of visitors to the plaza: families, joggers, people out for exercise or for a need for fresh air, students relaxing or studying, instead of the mostly shady characters and lovers that sought the shadows of the Plaza Independencia of yesteryears.

The fort itself has also undergone renovation under Dr. Macaraya. It’s cleaner, greener with trees and shrubs well trimmed, its toilets clean and clean smelling. But Dr. Macaraya says there’s a lot more to be done. The area surrounding the fort is envisioned to be a children’s playground. And though the playground fixtures are not yet there, it is still a place for children to have fun. It has been used by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation for native games like tubig-tubig, sungka and takyan for children during Children’s Month in October.

Plaza Independencia is now a park worthy of Cebu, the Queen City of the Philippine south. It is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays, and from 5 a.m. to midnight on weekends and holidays.