Government gives priority to Pasig River rehab

MANILA, Philippines - The esteros (canals) of Metro Manila got fresh support from the administration as Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Ramon Paje, Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Rogelio Singson, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Francis Tolentino, and Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim inspected Estero de Paco and Estero de San Miguel yesterday.

Guided by ABS-CBN Foundation managing director Gina Lopez, Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission deputy director Alan Gatpolintan and representatives of the Armed Forces and Philippine National Police, the four officials took a boat down Estero de San Miguel, a two-kilometer tributary of the Pasig River located just behind Malacañang.

Tolentino said the effort is a partnership of the public and private sectors, adding that the DPWH, MMDA, DENR, the Manila City government and the private sector would outline their contributions.

“Well, there’s a good opportunity for us to do something about the environment. With all the participants, I think we should able to do something,” Singson said.

Singson cited the importance of relocating the informal settlers living along the estero to be able to rehabilitate the waterways.

He said he and Lopez agreed to get Vice President Jejomar Binay involved in the effort because of the relocation aspect.

Lim said the informal settlers could live better lives in the relocation site, which has a school and public market.

“For President Noynoy Aquino and his administration, in his backyard is the epitome of crime and stench. It’s really, really bad,” Lopez said.

“And it’s not his fault, he only inherited this. So we want to clear it up. I feel it’s very good for the government if we clear his backyard, which is a network of five esteros,” she added.

Lopez is ecstatic that the key players came together to begin the work in cleaning up the esteros.

“There is no way it can’t happen if we work together. So I want to take my hat off to them. They came on board and they said they’re going to work together. President Noynoy even went to visit (Estero de San Miguel). So I’m very, very optimistic,” she said.

Earlier this week, Lopez met with President Aquino to show the current state of the esteros and the progress of her pet project, ABS-CBN Foundation’s Kapit Bisig Para Sa Ilog Pasig (KBPIP), on these esteros.

Not wasting any time, the President immediately visited Estero de San Miguel after the meeting with Lopez and enjoined the different departments to deal with the rehabilitation of the esteros.

Paje said the President said that there should be “significant improvement” within the first 100 days.

Paje said they are targeting the clearing of the two esteros within one year, “and this will become a template for all the esteros of Metro Manila.”

Once the assessment of the two esteros is done, the city government, DPWH, DENR, MMDA and KBPIP will immediately work together to significantly improve the waterways in the months ahead.

Lim said the public can expect the two esteros to be cleaned up and restored to their former beauty.

Singson seconded this, saying there’s great hope that the esteros would be rehabilitated and returned to their former beauty.

“We really need it to avoid this yearly damage of flooding. Kailangan buhayin ang mga estero (We really have to restore the esteros),” he said.