LOOK: The former Mandaue dumpsite converted into an eco-park

The rehabilitation of the Umpad Dumpsite began in 2014 as part of the development projects under the Mandaue City government.

To pursue environmental sustainability, the Mandaue City government headed by Mayor Jonas Cortes developed the former Umapad Dumpsite into the Mandaue Green Learning Park.

The ten-hectare dumpsite located in Barangay Umapad, near the Butuanon River was originally divided into two equal divisions. One half to be developed through the collaboration of private companies, the city government, and the local office of the Department of General Services (DGS). The other 5 hectares were reserved for future plans.

“The two-hectare land that was supposed to be closed in 2009 is now being used for the greenery park,” said General Services Officer Marivic Cabigas in a phone interview.

In 2014, Cabigas was assigned to spearhead the project to develop the dumpsite. They developed two hectares into an eco-park. Later, they added a daycare center to help the locals watch over their youth.

The eco-park also added a chapel where the community would be allowed to hold Masses. They likewise installed stone animal figures to entertain the kids and to take pictures with.

The DGS officer noted that locals were at first skeptical of allowing their children near the park, but eventually they opened up. They allowed their children to study basic education in the daycare center.

“We recently partnered with San Miguel, giving them the other two hectares. We assisted them on a series of tree-planting activities and maintained the area,” the officer added.

Cabigas also said that an urban gardening site, to be handled by the DGS, was being planned in the remaining hectare of land reserved for development.

Since the pandemic, the eco-park has been inaccessible to the Mandauehanons, but has been maintained diligently by the staff assigned to the site.

“The Mandaue Green Learning Park is a great example of how our dedicated workers and personnel from the General Services Office were able to transform the hills of garbage into a clean, greener, and habitable eco-park,” the Mandaue Investment Promotions Action Center (MIPAC) said in a social media post.

“Environmental sustainability starts with us. Let’s continue to do our part by cleaning our surroundings and practice proper waste management.”