30/09/2025
Please be guided.
𝗕𝗨𝗥𝗡𝗛𝗔𝗠 𝗟𝗔𝗞𝗘 𝗖𝗟𝗢𝗦𝗘𝗗 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗢𝗖𝗧. 𝟭 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗥𝗘𝗛𝗔𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡
Sept. 30, 2025 -- The City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO) in partnership with the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), announced through their page on September 23 the closure of Burnham Lake starting October 1, 2025, for rehabilitation and enhancement purposes.
Burnham lake’s closure is part of the Burnham Park Master Plan that aims to improve the present condition through four phases where the first starts on the lake to improve water quality and renovate surrounding areas.
The second phase will focus on renovating the sidewalk, the third phase will tackle the children’s park and the Skating Rink for the fourth and final phase of the project.
CEPMO Engineer II Jaquilyn Tino said the first phase targets to improve the lake and its surrounding areas, with renovations including an additional viewing or seating area. The docking area of the boats will be improved and a retaining wall will be constructed
“Actually, the [retaining wall] will exceed towards the lake, reducing the existing width of the lake, perhaps five meters, because from the retaining wall to the side walk, that is where we will be doing the seating area,” she said.
TIEZA, who will fund and lead the plan, gave an initial budget for phase one and further funding until phase four.
Tino said that phase two and the rest are currently in their preparation phase and that they plan to finish the proposal for phase two to four and have it ready for bidding next year.
The development plan started in 2019 and Mayor Benjamin Magalong has also created a technical group to formulate a design which was then forwarded to TIEZA for comments and approval and incorporated into the approved plan, she added.
CEPMO stated in their post that the development plan has no definite date as to when it will be done but that phase one is targeted to be completed in 180 days or in April 2026.
The rehabilitation will require a total closure, Tino explained, “ until the first phase is finished, there is no plan for partial opening as we will need to drain the water and fill it up again.”
Meanwhile, CEPMO and the boat concessionaires had a discussion regarding the closure that ended with a mutual agreement where “the owners have agreed for it to have it closed for a faster completion and the need for improvement and recovery of the lake.”
This is the first time that the iconic lake will be closed for tourists and residents since its first construction in 1904.
The public is advised to avoid the area during the rehabilitation for their safety and ensure the rehabilitation’s speedy and full implementation.
All activities at Burnham Lake starting October 1, 2025, will have to halt and make way for the plan and according to the post, CEPMO stressed that there will be no trees cut during the rehabilitation process.- Jaeda Pad-eng /SLU PIO Intern/gabykeith
