THE SECOND PITASE

What was once an impossible dream of cleaning up the notorious Pasig River has now become a beacon of hope and praise. We look into the next stage as the rehabilitation moves forward

- Gabriel Bohol

We all know that the Pasig River was one of the most important waterways of commerce and trade back in the day. We are trying to breathe life into the river once again," says Romando Artes, MMDA chairman and co-chairman of the Inter-agency Council for the Pasig River Urban Development (IAC-PRUD). The Pasig Bigyang Buhay Muli programme, a massive government rehabilitation project, has unveiled its second phase-inaugurated by President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos last June 23.

Before and even during the Spanish colonial period, the Pasig River was one of the country's most vital waterways, allowing merchants to transport their goods conveniently to and from Manila. In 1990, the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) declared it biologically dead.

Phase two of the esplanade, which focuses on the commercial development of the river, was designed by renowned urban planner and architect Paulo Alcazaren, along with principal architect William Ti, Jr. "[It] extends the Pasig River Esplanade towards Intramuros, seamlessly connecting Jones Bridge and the Binondo-Intramuros Bridge," says Secretary Jose "Jerry" Rizalino Acuzar of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) who spearheads the project.