With authorities now banning the construction of structures on the flood-prone area, the Quezon City government said it plans to transform the vicinity of Evergreen in barangay Bagong Silangan to a garden in support of the city’s environmental program.

Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said that the city government had found functional use for the catch basin even if authorities have earlier declared that the space should be “devoid of any form of structure.”

“Let’s transform the area into a garden. Wala dapat na bahay na itatayo o makikita dito. Dapat puno at halaman ang makikita ditto,’’ Belmonte said.

During tropical storm Ondoy, barangay Bagong Silangan was one of the most devastated areas affected by the massive flooding since it is geographically located along the riverbank leading to Marikina River.

Belmonte said that in a meeting department heads decided to issue the ban on the construction of houses and buildings in the area after 50 residents died and properties worth millions of pesos were damaged by the heavy flooding.

Search and Rescue (SAR) teams from Quezon City and other volunteer groups have relocated more than 1, 000 residents in the area prompting Belmonte to issue the order.

With its transformation, Manuel Sabalza head of the city’s Department of Public Safety and Order (DPOS) said he foresees “Evergreen’’ to be a tourist destination in the future similar to the new “Payatas.’’

While pre-construction plans are being worked on for the “Evergreen’’ garden project, the Quezon City Engineering Department (QCED) is busy conducting rehabilitation activities on damaged school buildings, health centers and roads.

Tadeo Palma, secretary to the Quezon City mayor, said that the city government has also allotted P500-million for the relief operations of more than 50,000 residents displaced during the storms.

He said that the operation includes the clean-up drive that the city’s Environment Protection and Waste Management Department (EPWMD) spearheaded in the 20 critical areas severely damaged by Ondoy.