Newly rehabilitated Paco creek inaugurated

MANILA, Philippines - A newly rehabilitated creek in Paco, Manila, was inaugurated yesterday by the ABS-CBN Foundation’s Kapit Bisig Para sa Ilog Pasig (KBPIP).

 The rehabilitation of the Estero de Santibañez was undertaken by the KBPIP in partnership with Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission (PRRC), and the City of Manila.

The DPWH donated P13.69 million for the development of infrastructure along the 430-meter creek that used to choke on garbage.

Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada and ABS-CBN Foundation managing director and chairperson Gina Lopez led the inauguration along with the Ms. Earth 2013 candidates, who took part in the painting of the houses near the creek.

Estrada said the massive flooding in Manila is caused by indiscriminate waste disposal. He thanked and praised ABS-CBN Foundation and its partners for its continuous effort to clean the esteros in the city.

Lopez said aside from reviving the Pasig River, KBPIP and PRRC also plan to clean the Manila Bay, soon.

In July this year, the KBPIP completed the rehabilitation of the Estero de Aviles and the Estero de Paco in 2012.

“We are on a roll in terms of cleaning our waterways. We started in Estero de Paco. Now we have finished Estero de Santibañez, and are currently cleaning 16 esteros. We are also going to start with Pasig River and Manila Bay,” Lopez said.