Cool off without leaving the city in any of these five watering holes.

WHAT would summer be without that requisite splash and tell-all tan? In the midst of woes created by the El Niño heat wave, young urbanites are counting the days before school officially closes and they can join the exodus out of the city and into cooler climes.

There?s always Boracay, Palawan, Davao, Cebu, and Puerto Galera to look forward to. But what if your resources have dried up along with the rice fields? Or you can?t wait for assorted cousins to clear their calendar and join your family outing? Are there accessible watering holes for the too-broke, too-hot, too-impatient city slickers who are already stripping down to their swimwear even as we speak?

Where can the parched cityphile go for a quick dip without catching a disease? Where can you take the kids without blowing their tuition fund? Which public pools are safe enough? Take time to check these out before bringing the kids:

1. La Mesa Ecopark. Fairview, Quezon City. Tel. 430-4051, 430-5207, 430-5207

This park could be the closest a city slicker can get to experiencing nature at its best without breaching the urban zone. It is located at the heart of the La Mesa Watershed, where most of Metro Manila?s running water comes from. Take a hard right on the way to Fairview and go through several subdivisions in the backyard of Quezon City to get there. The park has been rejuvenated years ago and has become a popular picnic site for families at minimal cost. The trees provide enough shade and enhance the stray breeze, and the flowers are a feast for the eyes. There are two communal pools: one for adults and one for children.

Park admission rate: P50; children below 3 feet are free.
Pool rates: Everyone who enters the pool grounds whether to swim or just look after the toddlers pays P80; kids 3 feet and below, P40.
Quezon City residents with ID get a P10 discount, QC students pay only P20 and QC senior citizens get in free.

Swimwear: To avoid accidents or injury, wear the proper swimming gear, no cottons or zippered shorts

2. Ace Water Spa. 399 Del Monte Avenue (near cor. Banawe Street) SFDM, Quezon City. Tel. 367-8040 to 41, 367-8061 to 62, 415-0164

So you?d like to take a dip without getting a tan? This is the place for you. Ace Water Spa is an indoor pool which fuses the fun of swimming and the relaxing ambience of a spa. There are hydrotherapy pools that give swimmers a good massage. There are also ?20 automated Ultrasonic Massage Systems equipped with therapeutic aquatic jets to relax and soothe tired and aching muscles.? Seen recently were a couple of elderly folk enjoying an aquatic message. This spa could be compared to a hot spring. ?Each system massage targets specific areas of the body with soft, moderate, and hard massages,? the brochures read.

Admission rates: Adults ? P550, Kids (4 feet and under) ? P250
Swimgear: Swimming cap is a must; bathing suits for women, fitted swimwear for male guests (no beach or board shorts)
For the not-so-picky or unprepared, Ace Water Spa rents out and sells swimwear. Still, it?s better to bring and use your own.

3. Makati Aquatic Sports Arena. Located beside Makati Park and Garden along J.P. Rizal Extension, West Rembo, Makati City. Tel. 728-0381 to 83

Makati residents, at least those who don?t have a pool of their own, can head to the Olympic-sized swimming pool measuring 21 meters by 50 meters with eight lanes. It is 5 feet deep. The smaller pool is just 4 feet deep and measures about 10 meters x 20 meters. Owned and managed by the city government, the public pool can also be used for competitions. Open from Tuesdays to Sundays, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with an hour?s lunch break at 12 noon.

Pool rates: from P100 to P200. Makati City Residents: P50

4. Ultra at the Philippine Sports Commission. Agustin Building, Meralco Avenue, Pasig City. Tel. 635-0102

This is a public pool so don?t expect Club Med facilities. But for P43, how can you complain? Open from 9 a.m. to 12 noon, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., except Mondays.

5. Rizal Memorial Swimming Complex. Vito Cruz St., across Harrison Plaza. Tel. 525-2171

Rates from P40 to P55, open from Tuesdays to Sundays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. The water polo team practices from 8 to 9 a.m. so skip this hour. Otherwise, just know that traffic in the pool can be hectic, this being the home team?s stomping ground and really accessible to the masa. ?