Palafox

Building vital “lungs of the city” at the heart of a highly urbanized metropolis.

As we continue our month-long anniversary celebration of PALAFOX’s local and international legacy, we look back at La Mesa Ecopark in Quezon City—a landmark 33-hectare ecological sanctuary inaugurated in 2004 that transformed the fringes of Metro Manila's only watershed into a well-loved haven for nature.

Developed for the ABS-CBN Foundation's Bantay Kalikasan, PALAFOX worked closely with the late environmentalist and philanthropist Ms. Gina Lopez to pioneer a multi-disciplinary master plan encompassing architecture, urban design, and landscape design. The project seamlessly integrates natural spaces with low-impact, income-generating recreational venues, featuring expansive cycling grounds, peaceful yoga areas, a boating dock, and vibrant jogging paths beautifully lined with year-round flowering plants; highlighting PALAFOX's core legacy of environmental stewardship.

Rather than isolating the watershed from the public, the design strategically uses sustainable tourism to invite community participation, encouraging people from all walks of life to plant trees and actively contribute to the park's thriving ecosystem.

Today, La Mesa Ecopark stands as an invaluable environmental asset for the region. It serves as a vital carbon sink that filters air pollution from surrounding cities, protects the primary water source of Metro Manila, and continues to be a premier venue for biodiversity conservation and environmental education.

Decades after its inception, it remains living proof that visionary planning can protect critical ecosystems while enriching public health for generations to come.

Pro Deo, Patria, et Terra.