MANILA, Philippines?See tall buildings up close. Fly high like a bird. Be like Superman?even for just two minutes.

The iconic comic book super hero?s adventures in the air may be all pure cinematic effects, but this one from the Tree Top Adventure company?s Zoom zip line experience at the heart of a high-rise residential community in Quezon City is for real.

For starters, two sets of steel beam towers were installed on a six-hectare property with ongoing construction projects for a soccer field, a jogging park, a racetrack facility and green residential condominiums.

The taller set placed 200 meters apart and standing 100 feet above the ground is for the Superman ride and the Silver Surfer ride on the lower level.

The other set is for the Freefall and Universal rides, both coming attractions.

An elevator shaft brings Superman wannabes to the topmost part of the steel beam, where they are hooked to a harness and then made to glide in the air. It?s the latest fun ride in town.

?When you?re up there, there?s no room for fear. You?re ready to fly,? general manager Kookie Montejo told Inquirer.

Apart from the six cable wires that can carry two riders at the same time to the opposite end and back in two minutes flat, 10 members of a technical crew, trained in rescue operations in case of an electronic malfunction, are on standby to lend support.

A maintenance team checks the devices before, during and after the operations.

?Wearing a full body harness complete with helmet is required,? Montejo assured riders with first-time jitters. ?The harness is there to provide support in case the gears fail. We make sure we have a safety line for riders.?

Montejo said zip lining is like unwinding after a long and stressful day, and one of the best ways to conquer fears.

Fear of heights

?I was afraid of heights myself,? she admitted. ?When I tried the zip line for the first time, I thought I would fall. I had alternating episodes of shouting and crying. Before I knew it, it was over, and it felt good.?

Located inside Circulo Verde on Calle Industriya, Barangay Bagumbayan in Quezon City?s Libis area, it is the first motorized zip-line facility in the Philippines and the world.

?We researched on the Internet, and there?s nothing like our facility here or abroad,? Montejo said.

Zip lines in Bulacan, La Mesa Dam, Tagaytay and Davao rely on gravity and on the weight of a person to enable him to move downward, she added.

?Ours is run by a motor and moves at a constant speed of 9 meters per second,? said Monteho, daughter of the owners and makers of Robotic in Greenhills, San Juan City and Tree Top Adventure at the Subic Bay Metropolitan Area in Zambales, both gaming facilities.

The idea of building the motorized zip line came about when the Montejos visited the zip line setup in Cagayan de Oro City.

?My dad, a mechanical engineer, thought he could do something similar to the one we saw,? said Montejo, whose parents, now in their late 50s, have already sampled a ride in the family?s newest project.

Age is not much of a requirement, although one?s height is, the 26-year-old Montejo said.

?For safety reasons, one must be at least 4 feet tall and above. Even a 10-year-old can take the ride as long as he or she meets the height requirement,? she added.

The promoters, however, want to attract those in the 20-35 age bracket because they have a more adventurous streak and are mostly single.

?Young professionals make up our target crowd. We chose this particular place in Metro Manila to be more accessible to them,? Montejo said.

Welcome

But all adventure-seekers are welcome and are invited to come and enjoy the ride.

Operations continue, rain or shine, (unless the winds are strong) since the motors are waterproof.

This month, riders can avail of a P50 discount for the Superman Ride and Silver Surfer package, priced at P400 and P300, respectively, for each passenger.

Open daily at 4 p.m. the facility closes at 10 p.m. ?That way, riders can also enjoy a fantastic view of the skyline at night time,? Montejo said.