Sad to say, it appears that the fate of the Club Intramuros Golf Course is already sealed.
Recently, Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso met with Executive Secretary Ralph Recto to present the conceptual design and costing for a project that would transform the 120-year-old golf course into a public forest park.
In a letter to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Domagoso also pitched the P2.3-billion initiative as a “legacy project” aimed at uplifting the quality of life of Manileños.
Wait, what? Since when did a redundant forest park take precedence over the pressing needs of the nation’s capital? Instead of prioritizing health, transportation, water, housing and safety, the city administration is ready to spend billions on a project that could become yet another white elephant in no time.
While other cities around the world are spending a fortune to restore historical sites and protect their cultural heritage, Manila is doing the opposite, proposing the destruction of a historic 18-hole golf course nestled within the ancient walls of Intramuros.
Manila does not lack public spaces; it lacks the better management of them.
A short walk away is the 2.2-hectare Arroceros Urban Forest Park, which, with its 61 varieties of trees, provides a green sanctuary to the congested, polluted Lawton area. Meanwhile, just across the street is the historic Luneta, a 58-hectare park that has witnessed the execution of heroes, the arrival of popes and the inauguration of Philippine presidents.
If Domagoso pushes through with this conversion, it will be a staggering waste of hard-earned taxpayer money, as it would merely duplicate the ecological services already provided by Arroceros and the Luneta. In short, what the good mayor is proposing isn’t environmentalism, it is poor spatial management.
Club Intramuros is truly special. Beyond its historical value, it is a proven economic driver vital to the government’s drive for sports tourism.
Here, leisure golfers, their foreign guests and balikbayans don’t just pay green fees; they wine and dine at local restaurants, stay in nearby hotels and buy crafts that stimulate the Walled City’s economy. Dismantling this infrastructure is like throwing away a specialized tourism magnet for a generic park with zero fiscal return.
Admittedly, the “elitist” stigma of golf fuels these calls for conversion. But the solution is not to destroy the course — it is to democratize the experience.
Instead of a forest park, the City of Manila and the Department of Tourism should collaborate to transform the course into a weekly attraction: The Intramuros Golf Festival.
Imagine an event inspired by the high-octane energy of LIV Golf. Every Sunday, the gates would swing open to the public. The perimeters would be lined with food stalls showcasing Manila’s culinary heritage, local craft exhibits and live music stages. It would transform a quiet game into a massive celebration with fan zones and a festive atmosphere.
By allowing spectators to walk the grounds and watch the matches, the “exclusivity” of the sport is shattered. The public will enjoy the manicured vista and the thrill of the game, while the city will see a massive spike in tourism.
After all, this formula has already had a successful dry run when the country welcomed the world’s best golfers to the International Series Philippines at the ultra-exclusive Sta. Elena Golf and Country Club last year.
This is the win-win solution Manila needs. We will preserve the integrity of the moats, maintain a world-class sporting asset and support local livelihoods.
Domagoso must realize that progress doesn’t always mean planting trees where they aren’t needed. Sometimes, it means taking a vintage jewel and polishing it so that everyone — not just the players — can see the sparkle.
Let Arroceros be the forest and Luneta the park. Leave Intramuros Golf alone. Let it be the sparkling vintage jewel of the City of Manila.