‘Pasig Bigyan Buhay Muli’ project unveiled

MANILA, Philippines — The “Pasig Bigyan Buhay Muli” project for the rehabilitation and development of Pasig River has been presented by the Inter-Agency Council for the Pasig River Urban Development (IAC-PRUD) on Aug. 23 in a meeting at Malacañang.

“Plans are already laid out for the resettlement of the affected (informal settler families),” said Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar, concurrently chair of IAC-PRUD.

The project hopes to maximize the river’s “economic potential” by transforming the 25-kilometer stretch of the Pasig River from Manila Bay all the way to Laguna de Bay into mixed-use commercial areas and open public parks.

Among the eight initial key areas where “people-centric improvements” could be made include jogging paths and bike lanes from the city of Manila up to Rizal province.

President Marcos earlier issued Executive Order 35 creating the IAC-PRUD to carry out rehabilitation efforts in Pasig River.    The IAC-PRUD was directed to formulate a Pasig River Urban Development Plan, serving as a blueprint for the full rehabilitation of the river.

EO 35 authorizes the IAC-PRUD to “accept grants, contributions, donations, endowments, bequests, or gifts in cash or in kind from local and foreign sources in support of the formulation and implementation of the Pasig River Urban Development Plan, subject to existing laws, rules and regulations.”