The Pasig River is being prepared to join the ranks of famous rivers in the world which can draw in locals and tourists for river cruises, dinners at riverside restaurants, sports events, or for a morning walk.
On Jan. 17, a spray of fireworks lighted the sky over the riverbank behind the Manila Central Post Office opening the “Pasig Bigyang Buhay Muli (PBBM): Pasig River Urban Development Showcase Area along a 500-meter riverbank. That is the initial phase of the project which aims to turn the 26-kilometer Pasig River into a hub of economic and cultural activity.
President Marcos, who was with the First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, announced the plans for the transformation that will bring Pasig River new life.
“I envision civic spaces where our children will play, our seniors relax, families will exercise, artists can showcase their talents, and the creative can display their wares,” the President said. This is the vision that guides the Inter-Agency Council for the Pasig River Urban Development (IAC-PRUD).
Executive Order 35 signed by the President on July 25, 2023 has mandated the “rehabilitation of the Pasig River to its historically pristine condition conducive to transport, recreation, and tourism.” Leading the comprehensive, multi-agency urban renewal project is Human Settlements and Urban Development Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar.
The vision has started to take shape. Standing at the property where guests appreciated the sunset and the river view during opening night were a water fountain accented by lighting, park benches, and lighted walkways. Many future scenarios for the riverbank are being entertained. One is a 26-kilometer marathon that will be run along the river’s length.
What will be a closer scenario will be an enhanced Pasig River Ferry route to fully utilize the river as a maritime highway. That will make the Pasig River, which connects Laguna de Bay to Manila Bay, a center of transportation connectivity in Metro Manila,.
More ferry boats will be deployed and additional stations will be built along the Pasig River, which the President said is now an “underutilized maritime highway.” At present, the Pasig River Ferry Route cruises from Pinagbuhatan in Pasig to Escolta in Manila, stopping at 13 stations in the cities of Pasig, Makati, Mandaluyong and Manila.
The plan will include cleaning the river. As the President said: “We do not want a river that is instantly made picturesque by coats of paint. We want a river whose transformation sinks to its very bottom.”
The master plan includes the relocation of informal settler families (ISFs) along the river, and will be part of the flagship Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Program being implemented by DHSUD.
The development of the riverbanks from Manila to Pasig City will accommodate residential, commercial, cultural, institutional, and entertainment establishments, public parks, jogging tracks, and bike lanes in key locations along the river.
In the 1990s, Pasig River was declared “biologically dead” because of pollution. Rehabilitation efforts started soon after and has become part of every administration’s programs.
Today, with the guidance of the First Lady, the same river is being led to a new life, where locals will soon be proud to take foreign guests to experience the Pasig River.
Your next special event may be held along a PBBM landmark at the back of the Post Office. And you can get there through the river ferry route.