Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar, over the weekend, said the ongoing rehabilitation project of the Pasig River is beyond beautification but will be functional, ultimately aimed at boosting tourism and promoting transportation connectivity in the metropolis as envisioned by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos.

Acuzar who also chairs the Inter-Agency Council for the Pasig River Urban Development is the vision shared by the First Couple.

“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,” Acuzar said.

“’Yan po ang vision ni First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos at President Bongbong Marcos,” he added.

The first couple led officials during the inauguration of the initial phase of the project last 17 January, which included a showcase area and pedestrian walkway at the back of the iconic Manila Central Post Office.

Since its inauguration, the showcase area has been attracting numerous people from all walks of life and featured in social and mainstream media.

Dubbed as Pasig Bigyang Buhay Muli, the project aims to transform Pasig River into a center of tourism and economic activity, while also helping address traffic issues in the cities along the river by creating a seamless connection between road and water transport.

The project is divided into nine sections traversing across 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.

Commuters can also transition from surface roads to water transport through bridge walks, which will be constructed at major points that will serve as pickup and drop-off points for the water ferries.

In addition, eight other showcase areas similar to the one recently constructed at the back of the Manila Central Post Office will be built along the banks of the river “to provide people with the ideal environment to enjoy a day or evening with their family or friends in a well-lit open-space, park-like setting,” Acuzar said.

“Unang phase pa lamang po ‘yan at asahan niyo tuloy tuloy ang aming trabaho,” he added.

The entire project is estimated to be completed in three to five years and will also 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.

Notable among these waterways, aside from being popular tourist attractions, are the commercial and mixed-use developments that surround it, Acuzar 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,” Acuzar pointed out.