Riverside park opens in Cotabato City

COTABATO CITY – The first ever riverside park free for public use was officially opened Wednesday by Rep. Bai Sandra Sema and 6th Infantry Division commander Maj. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana.

More known as Bai Walk, the park will serve as family free park for Cotabatenios and visitors.

Rep. Sema of Maguindanao 1st district with Cotabato City, said the park was first envisioned to be a ramp area for women and mothers as part of women empowerment but is now open to the public.

The area is ideal for lovers and couples to enjoy the river and the view of the sun setting in west of the park.

It is here that fresh water from Tamontaka River and saltwater from the Moro Gulf meet.

Sema said the project was funded by the Department of Public Works for flood control project but she saw the potential of controlling flood by putting up a riverside walk way where bikers and anyone can enjoy.
From the Bai Walk, the Mt. Minandar, the highest peak in Datu Odin Sinsuat was visible to the south while to the west was the famous Sultan Bolkia Mosque.

In the park is a bike lane for bikers to enjoy while sightseeing.

Visitors can rent wooden boat and go into fishing along Tamontaka River.

“This is a venue for convergence, for us to unite, this is what we need, unity,” Sobejana said, adding that the bai walk is a significant project people can enjoy.

“We all know that the Bangsamoro is very distorted by the terrorists, so we wanted to erase the word terrorist and replace it with tourism,” the Army official said.

Rep Sema said the bai walk is for all “especially those who have nowhere to go but here because it is free of charge.” (FC)