MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the immediate reclamation of Baguio City’s Burnham Lake.

The man-made lagoon, which has been the venue of  rental paddle boats for many decades , has been criticized for its murky, oftentimes chocolate-colored water.

Duterte’s order is his first since issuing an Executive Order transfering the approval of reclamation projects to the Office of the President, through the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA),

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo told The Adobo Chronicles that immediately after reclamation, the lake will be converted into an ice-skating rink, an idea first conceived by Baguio’s city officials.

When completed, the Burnham Ice Skating Rink is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of tourists.

It will also make Baguio the entertainment park capital of the Philippines. Recently, Baguio’s SM Mall opened  Sky Ranch, a carnival park on Luneta Hill, featuring a ferris wheel and other rides.