MANILA –The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has received some 89 applications for grants to finance enhancement of open spaces around the country under its “Green, Green, Green” program.
In a briefing Wednesday, DBM Assistance to Cities Program Manager Julia Nebrija said they have received 89 submissions for grants but expect all 145 cities around the country to submit their proposals after the workshop for local government officials (LGUs) that will start on March 15.
She said bulk of the submissions are for improvement of park spaces followed by those for streetscapes, plaza and and waterfronts.
The workshops, she said, will end on March 20 and final submission of concepts are set on April 13.
“In Metro Manila, we are going to reclaim those spaces that we can and re-use and repurpose those that are under-utilized,” she said, noting that there are lots of spaces around that country that are not being maximized.
The program is part of the Duterte administration’s “Build, Build, Build” program.
DBM Regional Coordination Bureau Director Leila Magda Rivera, during the same briefing, said the program has been alloted PHP2.5 billion funding under this year’s national budget.
She said the program aims to help LGUs create forest parks and botanical gardens as well as improve the livability of urban areas through having enough sideways and bike lanes.
“This are what we need to improve the quality of life in the future,” she added.
The development of open spaces has been proven as an effective strategy for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, she said. (Joann Villanueva/PNA)
