Pasig River rehab expands to Intramuros

MANILA, Philippines — The rehabilitation of Pasig River has been expanded to Intramuros and will feature an interconnected showcase area between the Manila Central Post Office and the walled city.

In a statement yesterday, Housing Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar said the rehabilitation project’s next phase of construction would boost tourism in Manila.

“We are projecting that there will be commercial shops that will give job opportunities to our countrymen, which is the vision of President Marcos and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos,” Acuzar said.

“The Inter-Agency Council for the Pasig River Urban Development Project will continue to work until this project is completed,” he added.

Last month, Marcos inaugurated the “Pasig Bigyang Buhay Muli,” an urban development project that seeks to transform the river into a center of economic activity and promote transport interconnectivity in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

The project aims to transform the Pasig River’s 25-kilometer stretch into a people-centered and community-driven park with walk paths and bicycle lanes. When completed, it would provide the public seamless travel on foot or two wheels from Manila Bay to Laguna de Bay.

It is part of the first phase of the comprehensive, multi-agency urban renewal project led by the council, which is chaired by Acuzar.

The project has an estimated completion timeline of up to five years and will be solely funded through donations from the private sector.