Pasig River rehab to promote tourism, transport connectivity – DHSUD

MANILA, Philippines — The rehabilitation of the Pasig River will be aimed at boosting tourism and promoting transportation connectivity in Metro Manila, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) said over the weekend.

“It is more than just a beautification project. We intend to implement functional development along the Pasig River that will promote tourism and transportation connectivity for the benefit of ordinary Filipinos,” Housing Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar said.

Last month, President Marcos and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos led the inauguration of “Pasig Bigyang Buhay Muli,” an urban development project that seeks to transform Pasig River into a center of economic activity and promote transport connectivity in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

It is part of the first phase of the comprehensive, multi-agency urban renewal project led by the Inter-Agency Council for the Pasig River Urban Development, which Acuzar chairs.

Since its inauguration, Acuzar said the showcase area of the urban development project behind the Manila Central Post Office has attracted many visitors.

The project is divided into nine sections traversing several cities in the metropolis that intersect the river, from Manila Bay to Laguna de Bay. When completed, pedestrians and bikers can travel through the entire 25-kilometer stretch of the pathway “with seamless connectivity.”

Acuzar said the project is estimated to be completed in three to five years. He said it would be funded through private donations.

“The revitalization project aims to capitalize on the full potential of Pasig River and bring it to the level of other major waterways in the world such as the Thames River in London, the Chao Phraya in Bangkok and the Seine River in Paris,” he said.

“That’s what we want to see around Pasig River. We want not only to bring back its old glory and restore its place in history, but to also breathe new life into it by bringing new and functional development around it,” he added.