Skip to main content

DOÑA LEONILA (MINI-FOREST) PARK

What is now known as Doña Leonila (Mini-Forest) Park overlooking the Sampaloc Lake is actually a portion of the site for the City Hall Complex purchased in 1937 by the Municipal Government of San Pablo headed by President Inocencio Barleta, which was partly developed after the termination of World War II under the administration of appointed City Mayor, Dr. Fernando A. Bautista.


During the incumbency of elected Mayor Lauro D. Dizon Sr., with the help of the Rotary Club of San Pablo, and under the supervision of Dr. Juan B. Hernandez, then club secretary of the local Rotary Club and Chairman of the City Beautification Committee, constructed some park structures at the park, with the fountain featuring the country lass with agriculture harvest as centerpiece.


Probably, Hernandez and then City Engineer Perfecto Reyes were inspired by the figures affixed on the façade of the City Hall Building which symbolizes progress.


Sometimes on April of 1961 when then President Carlos Garcia made an official visit to San Pablo, when the party dropped-by the park to breath some fresh air, City Mayor Lauro D. Dizon Sr. proclaimed that the garden by the city hall overlooking the lake are being named “Doña Leonila Park” in honor of then First Lady, Mrs. Leonila D. Garcia.


During the first term in office of Mayor Cesar P. Dizon, the City Beautification Committee headed by Architect Gilda G. Dizon, the City’s First Lady, and City Schools Superintendent Concepcion D. Licsi introduces massive improvement on the park with the construction of promenaders’ lane, which is actually a view deck, put-up park lightings system, and other park fixtures. In 1975 to 1977, San Pableños were not aware that slide photos of the park taken by then Public Information Officer Ruben E. Taningco for the Department of Public Information-Region IV were being flashed on television screen by Manila television stations to accompany good weather reports.


Toilet were added during the incumbency of OIC Mayor Zacarias A. Ticzon, when the park was declared a mini-forest park by then Bureau of Forest Development Director Delfin Ganapin Sr. on June 7, 1987 under the Urban Reforestation Program of President Corazon C. Aquino. Massive landscaping were undertaken in 2003-2004 by the City Tourism and Cultural Office headed by the City’s First Lady, Mrs. Leila A. Aquino. The stage constructed at the park routinary serve as venue for receiving and entertaining official guests of the city during the incumbency of Mayor Florante L. Aquino.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

FELICISIMO T. SAN LUIS, ANG ALAMAT NG LAGUNA

Si Abogado Felicisimo Tobias San Luis, na isinilang noong Hunyo 23, 1919, at lumaki sa Bayan ng Santa Cruz, ay nanungkulang Punonglalawigan ng Laguna simula noong Disyembre 30, 1955 hanggang sa siya ay papagpamahingahin noong Disyembre 18, 1992, o siya ay tuloy-tuloy na nanungkulan sa loob ng 36 taon, 11 buwan, at 18 araw, na kinikilala ng kasaysayan na siya ang natatanging lider na nanungkulan bilang punong tagapagpaganap ng isang lalawigan sa Pilipinas sa ganoong kahabang panahon.      Isang mabuting mananalumpati, nang ibaba ni Pangulong Ferdinand E. Marcos ang Martial Law o ng ipatupad ang Presidential Proclamation No. 1081 noong 1972, sila ni Alkalde Cesar P. Dizon ng Lunsod ng San Pablo noon, ang inatasan ng Pangulo ng Bansa na maglibot sa mga lalawigan ng bansa upang ipaunawa sa mga pinunong lokal   ang kahulugan ng Martial Law bilang isang proseso upang maitatag ang Bagong Lipunan na inaasahang magbibigay-daan upang makamit ang pambansang kaunlarang pa...

Profile of THE OUTSTANDING SAN PABLEÑOS 2011

By The Selection and Awards Committee In commemoration of the 71st Charter Anniversary of the City of San Pablo , Outstanding San Pableños have been chosen to represent what the city and its people are all about. The Outstanding San Pableños were chosen from nominees who are natural-born citizens of San Pablo or who have resided in the city for at least 20 years or naturalized citizens who have shown excellence in their professions and have contributed to the development of the country, the city, and their respective communities. 1. HEALTH SERVICES - DR. EMMANUEL DE VERATURDA LOYOLA , MD , FPSGS, FPCS             Dr. Eman Loyola is a native of Silang, Cavite who has migrated to San Pablo when he married Marylene Isip Azucena in 1990. He is a medical doctor by profession who graduated as Doctor of Medicine and Surgery at the University of the Philippines wherein he was recipient of the Dr. Jose Mascunana and Dr. Felipe Zamora...