First Philippine Parks Congress: Growing healthier, more liveable cities through urban parks

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The Philippine Parks Congress will have its inaugural staging on November 23 to 25, 2022.

Organized by the Department of Tourism (DOT), National Parks Development Committee (NPDC), Nayong Pilipino Foundation (NPF), Intramuros Administration (IA), Urban Land Institute Philippines (ULI) in partnership with the City of Manila, and City of Baguio. The 1st Philippine Parks Congress aims to gather public and private sector stakeholders involved in developing urban parks and green spaces across the Philippines to lay the foundation for creating a national framework for the development of Philippine urban parks.

"The pandemic highlighted the importance of parks and open spaces and it's apt that we are holding the first Parks Congress at the largest park in Metro Manila - Rizal Park, Luneta," said Cecille Lorenzana Romero, Executive Director of NPDC.

“With the pandemic pushing us to be more appreciative of open spaces, there could be no more perfect time than now to organize the first-ever Philippine Park Congress not just to promote sustainable development for our community, but also to attract tourists and enhance the tourism experience which is included in the 7-point agenda of DOT Secretary Cristina Frasco,” shared by Nayong Pilipino Foundation Executive Director Gertie Duran-Batocabe.

“The Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 highlights that cultural infrastructure and open spaces should be more inclusive to allow for dialogue and cultural exchange. Parks promote art, heritage, culture and other related domain of the Philippine creative industry, and we have seen activities like these help Intramuros recover during the pandemic. The first Philippine Parks Congress will allow us to learn about best practices to make our parks and open spaces more inclusive, “ Edgardo Baysic, OIC of IA noted.

MANILA PARKS STUDY TOUR. The event will kick off on November 23, 2022 with a guided tour around major parks and open spaces in the country’s capital – Paco Park, Rizal Park Luneta, Fort Santiago, ASEAN Garden, Baluarte de San Diego Gardens, Arroceros Forest Park, Mehan Garden, and Kartilya ng Katipunan.

MAIN PLENARY DAY. A series of talks and lectures by key people from both the public and the private sector will take place on the Main Plenary Day at the Rizal Park Open Air Auditorium on November 24, 2022. Keynote Speaker, Jelle Hendrik Therry of Ramboll will open with a lecture on urban parks design from a global perspective and Paulo Alcazaren of PGAA Creative Design will provide a lecture on a history of urban parks in the Philippines. Other speakers will shed light on their respective organizations, agencies and companies by sharing their unique experiences, best practices and technical services in maintaining and operating public parks and open spaces.

Participants will also have a chance to take part in the discussion of the proposed National and Local Public Parks Authority (NALPA) bills currently being reviewed in Congress and in the Senate.

BAGUIO PARKS STUDY TOUR. With its new tourism campaign line, Breathe Baguio, the City of Baguio will share its rehabilitation projects and programs that breathed new life to its famous sites such as the Botanical Gardens, Mines View Park, Burnham Park, and Dominican Hill, a new art and cultural hub.

The inaugural Philippine Parks Congress is also a celebration and a recognition of the 60th Founding Anniversary of the National Parks Development Committee, 50th Founding Anniversary of Nayong Pilipino Foundation Inc., and 10th Founding Anniversary of Urban Land Institute Philippines.

Physical attendance is limited to participants who have been given email invitations.

The general public is invited to participate via Zoom or through Facebook Live. Certificates will be sent to those who have successfully attended via Zoom. Online participants may register here:

https://bit.ly/PPC_zoom

Secretariat: phparkscongress@gmail.com

Official website: bit.ly/1stPPC

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/parkscongressph/

Instagram: @parkscongressph

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