The recent viral photos of South Korean actor Kim Seon-ho posing in front of his Bench billboards near the Guadalupe bridge in Makati City have attracted attention for more than just his good looks. What stole the show were the murky, greenish waters of the Pasig River in the background. Netizens couldn’t help but poke fun at Kim, who willingly endured the foul smell and unsightly debris floating on the river that was once declared “biologically dead.”
The sorry state of the Pasig River is no laughing matter. Years of neglect and a lack of serious efforts by the government to rehabilitate it and upgrade its classification from a Class C river have led to its deterioration. However, there is now a glimmer of hope with the establishment of President Marcos’ Executive Order No. 35, which creates the Inter-Agency Council for the Pasig River Urban Development. This council, headed by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development and co-chaired by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, consists of 15 government agencies working together to improve water quality, restore marine life, and develop the river banks and surrounding communities.
The executive order recognizes the immense historical and cultural significance of the 27-kilometer river, which serves as a vital waterway for trade, transportation, and communication, and is a prominent landmark and tourist attraction. It emphasizes the urgency to rehabilitate the river and enhance the quality of life along its banks. This is a challenging task considering the previous administrations’ failed attempts to clean up the Pasig River, often referred to as Metro Manila’s toilet bowl.
Various initiatives have been launched in the past to address the river’s degradation, but none have been successful in bringing about significant change. However, in 2018, the Pasig River achieved some success when it was awarded the Asia Riverprize for its efforts to revitalize the river and transform nearby communities. Sadly, this progress was not built upon, and the commission responsible for the rehabilitation was abolished in 2019.
A recent study published in Science Advances revealed that the Pasig River is now the most polluted body of water and the leading source of plastic waste dumped into the ocean. The Philippines, in particular, has been identified as the top contributor of plastic waste among 20 countries. With such alarming findings, it is evident that strong and sustained efforts are needed to clean up the river and address its environmental challenges.
While the government’s notable effort to clean up the Pasig River comes from San Miguel Corp., which has undertaken a P2-billion cleanup program, it is still uncertain how the Marcos administration will contribute and whether their latest endeavor will succeed where previous attempts have faltered. Nonetheless, it is crucial not to lose hope and to learn from past experiences. There have been numerous studies and master plans outlining the necessary steps to restore the river. The missing pieces to this puzzle have been the political will and resources to turn these well-thought-out plans into action.
With the support of the public and President Marcos’ apparent commitment to making a difference in the Pasig River through the newly formed interagency body, there is a glimmer of hope for a different ending to this familiar tale of rejuvenating a river that was once a bathing spot for the people.
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