By Arabella Balderama and Glaiza Salanio

The North Carpark renovation resumed on Monday, March 11, 2024, following the Office of the University President’s announcement last March 4.

With the aim of enhancing safety and improving the area’s drainage system, the project pushed through after hearing the concerns of Ateneo stakeholders.

“We shall proceed with the North Carpark Upgrade Project in order to enhance safety and improve drainage in the area. There will be modifications to the original plan so that no native trees will be cut down,” the memorandum stated.

The carpark’s design was modified in such a way that only mahogany and gmelina trees would be removed, and native trees would be saved.

A “Campus Mobility Forum” group was also created in order to help the University administration in establishing innovative solutions and long-term plans for campus mobility.

“The Campus Mobility Forum functions as a medium for members of the University community to come together to express ideas freely, arrive at consensus discursively, and help decision makers develop a program of action,” the memorandum declared.

“General dissatisfaction”

Meanwhile, an open letter addressed to the 1,237 signatories of the statement calling to stop the North Carpark renovation was made after the project resumed.

The said statement was released last December 26, 2023, preceding the agreement of initially suspending the renovation.

“While we welcome the opportunity for more consultations in the future and we thank the University administration for its efforts to listen to the various stakeholders, we are also hereby expressing our concern, indeed our general dissatisfaction, with how the events unfolded since the issue broke out in December last year,” the letter wrote.

Furthermore, it questioned whether Ateneo, as an institution, recognizes that car-centrism is the main problem which besets the community in terms of mobility and sustainability.

Apart from the aforementioned, the letter expressed its concern with regard to the Ateneo community’s involvement in discussions and decision-making processes on vital issues that affect the population.

“Without a genuine framework for engaging stakeholders in our University, our current conundrum will only persist till generations yet to come,” it cited, stressing that the sentiments of the stakeholders significantly contribute to the improvement of flawed management practices. 

Environmental issues were also mentioned in the letter to inform the community about the effects of the project, highlighting that the argument of invasive trees “should be used with caution” as it does not present actual scientific evidence.

In addition, the statement cited some references from Laudato Si’, conveying its goals to protect our common home and the call for role models who are the “genuine champions of the environment and a truly sustainable way of life.”