More than beautification, Pasig River rehab project will be functional — Acuzar
Executive Order 35, issued on 25 July 2023 and signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, outlines the council’s mandate, which includes ‘facilitating and ensuring the full rehabilitation of the banks along the Pasig River water system and nearby water systems.’
Beyond beautification, the ongoing rehabilitation project of the Pasig River will be functional and ultimately aimed at boosting tourism and promoting transportation connectivity in the metropolis as envisioned by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos.
This was the pledge of Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar, who also chairs the Inter-Agency Council for the Pasig River Urban Development (IAC-PRUD).
"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," Secretary 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 last 17 January of the project's initial phase, 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 attracted numerous people from all walks of life and has been featured in social and mainstream media.
Dubbed Pasig Bigyang Buhay Muli (PBBM), the project aims to transform the Pasig River into a center of tourism and economic activity, helping address traffic issues in the cities along the river by creating a seamless connection between road and water transport.
