“Excuse me Miss, where’s Freedom Park?” I was talking to a streetside vendor at the crossing of C.M. Recto Street and Roxas Avenue in Davao City, the largest metropolitan geography of the Philippines.
“Just walk to the middle road island in between Ateneo de Davao University and the Roxas Night Market,” she said while pointing to the direction.
Following her guidance, I proceeded towards the said location until I bumped into a neatly uniformed policeman on duty.
“Is this the Freedom Park?”
“Oh no Sir, this is the Millennium Park. You need to go back to where you came from and cross the road until you reach the Central Post Office beside the Boy Scouts building. Freedom Park is just right across those landmarks.”
“Great, got it - thanks a lot!” (Wasn't that a confusing incident?)
I've been hearing stories from different people who said that the Freedom Park was constructed fundamentally as a dedicated assembly area or meeting place where peaceful rallies are held. These public protests are organized to voice out complaints, concerns, and oppositions against certain government bodies or private entities.
There has been much recent debate about the actual location of Freedom Park, with Davao City’s continuous urban development of its road infrastructure to be partly blamed. And overtime, several locals have occasionally been witnessing these public forums organized at the Millennium Park, thus have spread through word of mouth with the nickname Freedom Park. No wonder they had contradicting replies when I asked them.
However, if I were to choose between the streetside vendor and the policeman, I'd rather heed the latter’s advice due to authority.
Sure enough, as I walked towards the buildings he mentioned, Freedom Park was there.
Yet, if you're still confused about the exact site, the towering monument of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) will be your best guide. This prominent street marker is an enshrined cul-de-sac intersected by C. Bangoy (Ponciano Reyes) Street, Ramon Magsaysay Avenue, and Roxas Avenue. It will absolutely be impossible to get lost after seeing this distinctive pillar with a white dove on top.
Interestingly, after asking some bystanders nearby, I also learned that Freedom Park’s original name was Clifford Park. Isn't that fascinating info?
It was a bright sunny day, and as I directed my eyes to our featured green space, there it was right in front of me - unobstructed in all its architectural and natural splendor!
At first glance, Freedom Park appeared like a mini-park (it really was!), complete with trees, shrubs, colorful foliage, circular planter boxes that also served as benches for seating, partially-groomed grass, and covered sidewalks.
As another assumption, I likewise had the initial impression that it was a small public transportation terminal where commuters would wait at the designated sidewalks sheltered under the cantilevered canopies for their rides. Take a look. Would you have thought of the same interpretation? Most probably.
But, I was mistaken.
The roofed sidewalks were actually designed to provide needed shade and protection against the scorching weather or rainy climate so community protestors can congregate and perform their purpose well. Isn't this an ingenious solution? I bet it is.
Most importantly, I was simply overjoyed that the architects, builders, and developers of Freedom Park had considered embedding a natural garden in their final masterpiece.
They even included a satellite police station built within the park to ensure utmost security and the peaceful, timely, and orderly execution of these public rallies.
As I further investigated the park’s outer perimeter just behind the bushes, I accidentally discovered a tiny marker bearing a remarkable tribute to a national artist. It was already in a state of deterioration thus I wasn't sure why it was erected there in the first place. Perhaps it was in the process of being replaced with much better materials.
Although there's no doubt that Freedom Park is an incredibly impeccable project geared towards fully supporting the advocacy of freedom of speech, it was currently under renovation during my particular visit.
Construction workers. Piles of sidewalk pavement blocks. Building tools on the floor. Untrimmed grass and shrubs. Tarpaulin sheets hanging in some corners. Unfinished architectural elements. These were a few of the telltale signs that significant work for this prestigious landmark was still under progress.
Despite this obvious evidence and ongoing modifications, have you noticed how flawless, clean, and well-maintained this special environment is, including the rest of the metropolis?
As I've mentioned many times in the past, Davao City has always been my ultimate idol in terms of peace and order, efficiency, and above all, cleanliness. Hence, I definitely encourage you to travel to this amazing urban center and see it for yourself if you don't believe me. You won't be disappointed.
At the end of the day, green spaces like the Freedom Park will forever be welcomed additions to progressive cities like Davao because of their tremendous respect for Mother Nature and her ecological benefits. In fact, it has already been proven that there has never been a period since time immemorial that any modern civilization can truly thrive on its own without the full participation of Earth’s natural allies.
So, what's the point of eliminating nature after all?
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