By: Sean Gerard Angel Pijuan
I met this accomplished professor who boasted about the number of steps he takes going to the school campus where he works. He takes up to 3500 steps to reach his office, which is approximately 3 to 4 kilometers. Me, I drive my car to my office that is 1 kilometer away. With the help of technology, counting how many steps he takes would not be a problem. But where to plant those steps is another obstacle that is solved by a different innovation.
Iloilo City is growing and not just with buildings and stores. The city is creating new pathways figuratively and literally. One conspicuous structure that has conquered the sidewalks and the river banks are the Iloilo Esplanades. From the French esplanade, which means clear level space, Esplanade is a long and open pathway where people can walk. There are 9 Esplanades connecting inside of the city, usually next to the river. What makes it stand out is because it is made of pavers.
Pavers are individual stones that are interlocked to create a path. It is a classic choice for an aesthetically pleasing pathway. It attracts those who live in the city and compels them to exercise more frequently or walk to work. It’s style and elegance match with the flora that surrounds it. It creates harmony with the environment like the river that reflects the beauty of nature.
The essence of these pavers is well associated with their surroundings. It is eco-friendly and plant life can thrive around it. It is impact resistant. It can’t be damaged easily, but when it does it can easily be replaced – this is why we don’t seldom see cracked pavers as often as there are cracked roads. Unlike cement, pavers can easily be replaced (not needing to destroy the whole road) and do not need drying. It’s like a puzzle piece that has replacements. We can even install it in creative patterns.
What attracts people to walk on pavers? It has an allure to every sense that we have. Aside from its accessibility and utility. The experience wraps us with an experience that we normally not find inside a growing city in the Philippines. It brings us closer to nature and the reality of ourselves. It is like passing through a dimension of color, natural shapes, and fun.
Whether it is for health reasons or not owning a car, walking on the pavers of Iloilo Esplanade is a harmony between nature and modernization. It is a step towards growth inside and outside of us.
Sean Gerard Angel Z. Pijuan is the Senior Quality Management Officer of Invictus Prime Holdings Corporation, a corporation that manages the consolidation and integration of operations within its companies: Complete Logistic Control Inc., ZKO Group Distributors Inc., Philfast Global Forwarding Inc., Satellite GPS Tracking and Asset Management System Corp., and SCMIX Builders Inc.
