In a major environmental transformation, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) officially opened the MMDA Nature Park on Friday, converting a former sanitary landfill in Carmona, Cavite, into a multi-purpose center dedicated to disaster readiness, green agriculture and conservation.
The grand opening was spearheaded by Executive Secretary Ralph Recto and MMDA Chairman Don Artes, both emphasizing the critical need for regional hubs capable of handling ecological protection alongside emergency crisis planning.
Recto stressed the vital role the new installation will play in elevating the country’s disaster response capabilities, emphasizing the importance of providing top-tier training and protective gear to emergency personnel.
“We are preparing also for the worst mabuti at meron tayong vision katulad nito. Mahalaga na mabigyan sila ng pinakamagandang kagamitan. We must ensure that out responders are also safe na makauwi din sila sa kanilang tahanan so mahalaga na first class ang mga gamit,” Recto said.
Expressing optimism for future infrastructure, Recto urged local government units throughout the nation to replicate this model in their own jurisdictions.
“Inaasahan natin na maraming ciudad sa Pilipinas na gumawa rin nito. Pansamantala, they can come here para ma-training mas maraming responders,” Recto added.
Spanning an MMDA-owned lot of roughly 60 hectares, 12 hectares of which were donated to the local government unit of Carmona for housing initiatives, the repurposed property now hosts an array of community-focused facilities. These include a bamboo pavilion, an indoor hydroponics farm, a seedling nursery, a Kadiwa ng Bayan market, and a dedicated disaster response simulation zone.
According to Artes, the rehabilitation reflects how blighted spaces can be meaningfully repurposed for public good.
“Ito pong property na ‘to ay pagmamay-ari ng MMDA at isang malaking espasyo. Dito maluwag kaya dito ginawa. ‘Yung dating pangit na lugar ay pwedeng i-rehabilitate,” Artes explained.
To showcase the facility’s functionality, responders carried out a rescue simulation during the launch event.
The MMDA has joined forces with the Department of Agriculture (DA) to deliver urban farming workshops on-site, alongside the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to develop eco-hub initiatives and environmental projects. Together, these inter-agency efforts aim to maximize the former landfill’s potential as a regional center for emergency readiness, urban sustainability and ecological preservation.