IN a major push toward urban resilience and environmental sustainability, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has officially transformed a former sanitary landfill into a dual-purpose green space and disaster response facility in Carmona, Cavite.
Executive Secretary Ralph Recto and MMDA Chairman Atty. Don Artes led the inauguration of the MMDA Nature Park and its accompanying development projects at Sitio Paligawan Matanda, Barangay Lantic.
Conceived by Cabinet Secretary Benhur Abalos during his tenure as MMDA chief, the initiative aligns with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to expand green spaces and enhance public recreation across the region.
Executive Secretary Recto praised the project as a model of inter-agency cooperation.
Highlighting the integration of local agricultural programs like the Kadiwa ng Pangulo, Recto described the transformation as an exemplary use of public funds that reflects the vision of Bagong Pilipinas.
Beyond serving as a public recreational site, the location now houses a state-of-the-art Disaster Preparedness Training Facility (DPTC).
Chairman Artes emphasized that the site is designed to strengthen emergency readiness across the region, offering specialized instruction not only to official MMDA responders but also to local government units (LGUs), partner agencies, volunteer groups, and community members.
The event featured a live demonstration by the MMDA Public Safety Division and Metro Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management officers, who showcased their operational readiness across several specialized training zones.
The DPTC features a rappelling tower, confined space structures, a rubble pile simulating structural failure, a pancake-collapsed building trainer, a fire suppression facility, and a vehicle simulator.
Alongside the disaster training center, officials inaugurated several environmental and agricultural initiatives, including a Bamboo Pavilion, a livestock farm, and a seedling nursery.
Cavite 5th District Representative Roy Loyola expressed appreciation on behalf of Carmona Mayor Dahlia Loyola, noting that what was once a dirty, desolate dumpsite has successfully been rehabilitated into a flourishing local tourist destination and educational hub for nearby communities.