The Inter-Agency Council for the Pasig River Urban Development (IAC-PRUD) has completed a master plan in rehabilitating the historical waterway in Metro Manila, housing czar Jose Rizalino Acuzar disclosed on Wednesday, Aug. 23.
Acuzar said the masterplan was already presented to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. and his wife First Lady Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos whose advocacies include revitalizing the Pasig River into a commercial and tourism hub to maximize its potential.
“The proposed master plan aimed not only at rehabilitating the waterway but also maximizing its economic potential by transforming its banks into people-centered parks and commercial hubs,” said Acuzar.
He said the project is composed of mixed-use commercial areas and open public parks, along the 25-kilometer stretch of the Pasig River from the Manila Bay all the way to Laguna de Bay.
Initially, the IAC-PRUD identified eight key areas where the people-centric improvements could be made like jogging paths and bike lanes from the city of Manila up to Rizal province –traversing major cities in the metropolis.
The IAC-PRUD was created through Marcos’ Executive Order 35 which also designated the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) to lead the project, with other government agencies such as the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
Acuzar said the pProject also covers permanent relocation for thousands of informal settler families (ISFs) along the Pasig River banks.
“Plans are already laid out for the resettlement of the affected ISFs with the collaboration of DHSUD with other national government agencies,” he said.