In Pinay's footsteps: PASEO DEL MAR CIRCA 2009

It was a lazy Sunday when we just rode around Zamboanga City and also passed by the Paseo Del Mar. The Paseo was newly opened and we were curious how it looked.

It was announced in the news that the Paseo Del Mar and Jardin de Maria Clara were opening the second week of July.

From the PHILIPPINE SOUTH ANGLE:

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines /08 July 2009 by Roland Ramos – The city government is set to open to public the too much awaited tourist landmarks –- Paseo del Mar and Jardin de Maria Clara in Pasonanca this weekend, city hall announced.

City Administrator Antonio Orendain Jr. said, the two tourist landmarks – Paseo del Mar and Jardin de Maria Clara will be opened on Friday and Saturday, respectively.

Last month, the city government met with prospective concessionaires to occupy the dozens stalls in each tourist landmark.

Paseo del Mar has 14 stalls in five tent like structures, a police and tourism information building and a mini-port for docking purposes for tourist boats ferrying the city to sta. cruz island.

In the ordinance – Ordinance number 342, bringing of pets by visitors or tourists inside Paseo del Mar is strictly prohibited, Orendain said.

Paseo will be opened to public from 5 in the morning until 1:00 am the following day.

Orendain claimed, the concessionaires have fully agreed to the rules and regulations set in the ordinance on the use of the commercial area.

Paseo Del Mar occupies 2.5 hectares along the Fort Pilar walls.

the vacant lot is the location of the present Paseo Del Mar

This is very interesting because this was once a slum area, and the government had to relocate about 300 families.

The place was once called CDCP reclaimed area from the Construction and Development Corporation of the Philippines established in 1966 under Pres. Marcos regime.

http://www.zambotimes.com/archives/7679-Paseo-del-Mar-A-flashback.html

Excerpts:

The Construction and Development Corporation of the Philippines (CDCP) was established in 1966 by virtue of an executive order during the administration of the late President Ferdinand Marcos. It was granted a 50-year franchise to commission and perform construction works throughout the Philippines. In 1977, Presidential Decree No. 1113 was issued, granting the CDCP a 30-year franchise to operate and maintain the various limited-access toll highways in the Philippines. The CDCP changed its name to its present name the Philippine National Construction Corporation (PNCC) in 1983 after the infusion of additional equity from the government since 1981.

The CDCP reclaimed area at the back of Fort Pilar has its own history. Its does not speak about the Spanish period nor the Japanese occupation. It has its beginnings during the construction boom in the late 70s which brought about the light construction industry in the Philippines, to include the City ofZamboanga. The place was the unloading berth area of the company where all construction materials were unloaded and piled. There was an attempt to build a hotel in this reclaimed area. It was never realized and eventually the area became a notorious slum area for other nefarious activities. It was during the administration of the late Ma. Clara Lobregat that the City Government was able to acquire the lot and now the City of Zamboanga owns it.

So from slum to clean reclaimed area to the present Paseo Del Mar is a feat in itself.

Paseo Del Mar has lights similar to Baywalk in Manila and is the new night life center in Zamboanga City... where people of all walks of life come over... from barkadas to families.

They may just place a mat in the park...or eat in one of the stalls...or even listen to one of the bands there.

Most of the life of the park is felt at night!

Here are pictures of Paseo Del Mar, in its early days in 2009.