Makati Mayor Nancy Binay on Tuesday said emerging cleanup technologies may help advance long-planned efforts to rehabilitate the Pasig River, a project she noted has been a recurring priority for agencies and local governments along the waterway.
During the ClearBot River Cleanup Showcase held in Makati, Binay emphasized that the river’s restoration has been the goal “for a long time,” recalling her previous calls as the Senate tourism committee chair for the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and other agencies to push a coordinated revitalization program.
She added that innovations such as the Clearbot, an AI-powered electric vessel that collects wastes in waterways, could help lay the groundwork for future cultural and heritage river tours.
Binay noted that the Pasig River has the potential to serve as a tourism corridor, citing famous river cruise routes in Asia such as the Mekong, Yangtze, Rhine, and Danube.
“Perhaps we will soon see a cultural and heritage conservation cruise, starting from the Circuit Contemporary Museum to Makati's heritage hub of Poblacion, to Manila's historical Intramuros because of our endeavor today,” Binay said.
The Clearbot AI is a project launched in partnership with the Ayala Foundation, Inc., Asian Development Bank, Metro Manila local government units, and the MMDA.
CEO and Clear Robotics founder Sidhant Gupta said one of its goals is to support those who clean waterways by reducing risks and limiting manual work, as workers often handle toxic waste using small boats.
“And so what we want to do is scale their ability,... give them the power to do more without having to do more work in the same amount of time, and that is our intention, that is what we are pushing for with the LGUs as well,” Gupta said.
The vessel is about six meters long, can pick up around 500 kilograms of waste, and can operate in water at least half a meter deep.
“That’s actually quite shallow for most boats, and so the idea is that we can go into the shallow areas and collect a lot of garbage.”
The vessel is on a pilot run until January 2026.
Ayala Foundation, Inc. President Antonio Joselito Lambino II underscored how such efforts contribute to a clearer, more vibrant Pasig River that can “uplift surrounding communities and create spaces where people can gather, learn, commute, and enjoy the outdoors.”
He also expressed commitment to work with the City of Makati.
“We are especially grateful to the leaders of the barangays surrounding the Circuit area: Brgy. Carmona, Brgy. Kasilawan, Brgy. Olympia, and Brgy. Tejeros who are here with us today,” he said.