Manila Mayor-elect Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso has assured that the Manila Zoo will remain in Malate, Manila and rejected turning the zoo into a mall or a casino.
Domagoso said the botanical area of the zoo will undergo renovation to be consistent with its name “Manila Zoological and Botanical Garden.”
“Andun pa rin ‘yung mga hayop pero dadagdagan ko, ‘yung something na puwedeng mapag-aralan ng mga estudyante para maging mas kapaki-pakinabang,” he said.
“Nakakaawa na kasi ‘yung elepante. Tsaka kailangan merong bago like plants, birds, flowers,” he added, noting that the elephant named “Mali” might be older than him.
Moreno also said that plans to privatize the zoo last year had been rejected by the Manila City Council.
The Manila Zoo, which was built in the 1950s, used to home at least 90 animal species.
It was ordered closed by outgoing Manila Mayor Joseph E. Estrada in January this year to give way to the assessment and study after Environment and Natural Resouces Secretary Roy Cimatu called out its management for being a major pollutant of Manila Bay due to lack of sewerage treatment plant. (Erma Edera)
