Pasig River as seen from Jones Bridge and filled with water lilies
This scene baffles me every morning when I walk the stretch of Jones Bridge to go to my office. The mystery that my mind always thinks about is those water lilies that are floating toward the Manila Bay. Where were those lilies came from? How many water lilies are there alive in all the rivers that are connected to Pasig River? Were those lilies planted intentionally to reduce the pollution of the river? These are few of the questions that springs to my mind whenever I see those water lilies that never seem to stop floating in the Pasig River.
Pasig River is an evidence of how Filipinos deal with the environment. During the times of Jose Rizal, Pasig River is still clear and many people relied on it for drinking water. Nowadays, Pasig River is virtually dead and only few dared to swim its filthy waters. Some birds still rely on the river for sustenance by eating edible trash and dead fish.
There is a renewed effort from various groups in revitalizing the dead river. However, for this renewed effort to succeed, they must understand the current situation of, not only the river, but the society that surrounds it and the provinces that have rivers connected to it. They must also study why the project “Piso Para sa Pasig” failed in its mission.
Years of neglect and wasteful lifestyle caused the current condition of Pasig River. Haphazard land use plans and feeble attempts of the Government to apply all the environment laws made the matters worse.
The Philippines is one of the most blessed countries when it comes to natural resources. We had beautiful beaches, majestic mountains and diverse flora and fauna. The problem is that the Philippines is also blessed with people that do not care with the environment and because of this Pasig River suffers from pollution.
So, when will we see a clean and clear Ilog Pasig? Not as long as the people around it lives wastefully and without due regard to the environment.
Popularity: 6% [?]
If we look at the issue in the context of environmental history, it could be that people no longer found the river useful. Rizal mentions the uses of the Pasig and tributaries. American period film reels show the river still being used for transportation. But after World War II the river ended its transportation function and it became a cesspool and these are complicated by the unresolved social problems of the country. These problems are rooted in the inequitable distribution of wealth and opportunities in Philippine society. I find the Lopez attempt is a sort of typical noblesse oblige which I believe will fail. The Lopezes I believe won't succeed without the social engineering needed to revive the river under a more authoritarian context. In the Singapore and Shanghai examples of rehab, we have Lee Kuan Yew and Jiang Ze Min respectively. These two men became head of governments of their respective countries.
I agree, the stimuli to clean up the river must come from all sectors of the society. The death of Pasig is like the death of the Filipino people sense of pride. This was brought about by the continued inequality in Metro Manila where in the poor are forced to live beside the rivers and esteros and parcels of lands not needed by the elite.
We need a strong leader to solve this mess of Pasig River.
if the people who live around the ilog pasig will continue their kind of living “tapon dito tapon doon” even a great and strong leader will not able to do something to solve the ilog pasig’s mess
Ping Lacson is the closest dictator-type strong leader. I suppose blackshama can be pushing Lacson-2010.
Didn't dawn on me that the Pasig river used to be a source of drinking water or if it were really clean when Jose Rizal is still alive. Pardon my ignorance.
Gosh, i'm glad pipol now talk about cleaning up our rivers and revolution instead of talking POLITICS! What's lacking her is nibbling criticism of our societal corrosive, toxic attitudes that pervades our environment.
It's sad historic Pasig River is barely passable and navigable. It's too bad. It would be refreshing to see outriggers rule Pasig River again amidst high-rises and imported duty-free-thru-corruption SUVs. A contrast of long-ago means of water transportation and background of modern digs.
Nobody cares anymore. Pipol are busy making a passable living
Blackshama:
The photo you posted reminds me of a similar question I ask myself whenever am hanging out by the river on a friday or saturday night. when will our rivers look like the scenes below?
<img src="http://mcgrealty.wordpress.com/files/2007/11/2456425-boats_at_the_jacksonville_landing-jacksonville.jpg">
<img src="http://cache.boston.com/bonzai-fba/Third_Party_Photo/2008/01/07/1199727804_3970.jpg">
I noticed that waterfront properties in the US command a premium price. In the PI, waterfront properties are most likely to look like <img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4lG9iOeVDc0/SFdbMKkB7fI/AAAAAAAADgc/CDc_JxNMxxE/s320/Taguig+shanties.JPG">
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An associate of mine mentioned something about ongoing negotiations for cleaning up the Pasig River. Seems negotiations met a headway when it came down to the budget.
We have polluted the Pasig River. We made it as a garbage dump. As squatter's paradise. Why did we allow
people to build shanty houses along the bank of the river?
The Pasig River is a beauty. It is full of History.We must revitalize the Pasig River to be enjoyed by us, and
future generations to come.
Abe Margallo of USA may disagree, but won't it be "…for the greater good" to institute a no-squatters zone within 50 meters of the Pasig river bank and all current squatter residents relocated to Batangas. Cavite or Tarlac. Also for civil society to set minimum architecture requirements on commercial buildings to be bujilt within 100 meters of the Pasig.
Actually, there is a rule about buffer zone for all rivers in the Philippines.No commercial, industrial, or residential structures must be built within those zones.
Parks and open spaces are the only allowed inside the buffer zones. But I guess, hindi naman nasusunod ‘yun.
Jones bridge not Lawton bridge. Plaza Lawton is now Liwasang Bonifacio. If you want to clean the Pasig river, close the Napindan flood gates until it reaches maximum capacity then open during low tide. Do that for several years and the Pasig river will be cleaner.
Sorry supremo, yep thats Jones bridge. Thanks for the correction. I will be correcting it now.
It is time for us to truly implement the “Clean Waters Act” at magtayo na rin ng mga Waste-water treatment facilities para siguruhin na ‘yung mga tubig na pupunta sa ilog ay maging class A water (tama ba ako? nalimutan ko na kasi ‘yung Envi Sci 1 lessons ko eh) or water na sapat na para mabuhay ‘yung mga isda.
Dapat na rin tingnan ‘yung ibang mga ilog na threatened for destruction.
Two weeks ago, my 90-year old mother received a letter to demolish her house along Pasig River at Lamayan Street, Sta. Ana. It came from the Dept. of Public Works and Highway [DPWH]. My deceased father was an employee of DPWH, and in 1956, he was granted by that Department the “right to construct a residential dwelling” on the reclaimed area [we have a copy of said right] to move his family in and so he can oversee the government property. Over the years, my father met resistance from other homeless families to build their houses on said reclaimed area and in and around our house. We took it upon ourselves to religiously pay the annual real property taxes at Manila City Hall. Todate, we are the only family doing so. Our payments are as current as December 2008. My family and I are not going to fight “City Hall” as we wholeheartedly agree that the Pasig River needs revitalization and rehabilitation. We will comply with the demolition but the notice, which was addressed in my deceased father’s name, gave my mother only 30 days to comply or the government will do the demolition themselves. FYI, my widowed, aging, frail and nonagenarian Nanay is being taken care of by my widowed niece who has 4 young children of her own. They have a common “kasambahay” who does the cooking, etc. My Nanay’s doctor is one tricyle ride and the children’s school is within walking distance. Their ages range from 6, 11, 13 and 15. The 30-day notice is unattainable, impractical, astringent and unconscionable. This family of 7 needs at least a 4-bedroom rental house. After working through the night and when she gets off work, my niece has been looking for a rental property proximate to the doctor and school but to no avail. When Executive Order No. 54 was signed by then Pres. Estrada, it stipulates under Section 3 e “relocate settlers, squatters and other unauthorized or unlawful occupants along its banks”. The Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission Powers and Functions No. 5 similarly stipulates “Relocate formal and informal settlers along the riverbanks”. Their objectives are to “ensure that affected persons are relocated to secure and affordable socialized housing projects” and to “give affected persons a state in the formal housing sector”. Their Assistance Packages are Housing, Transport Assistance, Livelihood Development, Food Assistance and Education Assistance. The Relocation Sites are at Kasiglahan Village I, II, III, and IV in Rizal, Taguig and Cavite. Why was my mother not given this relocation “promise” but instead a 30-day notice, or else? We will voluntarily comply with the law, but we beg the City of Manila to give my Nanay a reasonable extension of up to a year so we can find a suitable accommodation and that the education of the orphan children is not disrupted. If not granted, we beg the government through its implementing agencies to relocate this displaced family.
I have found the discussions here quite interesting and of top priority concern. Now that I am taking up post-graduate studies at the UP College of Architecture and looking for supplementary data to the research paper I am currently working on, entitled: Humanizing Socialized Housing Programs in the Philippines, with a focus on waterfronts, reclaimed areas and environmental consciousness, I think that this issue of cleaning up the Pasig River to bring back its dignity and functionality (not to mention its historical value) needs to be resolved soon. I hope that in the near future, we could implement successfully the Clean Waters Act, with a model example being the Thames River of Brtain, which was carried out through a concerted effort of both the government and private sectors.
If there is anything we could do to contribute to this gigantic task, I guess it has to start small: for each one to avoid throwing garbage to the river, have disciplined use and follow waste management guidelines, educate our people (just like the TV ad prohibiting such irresponsible behavior by showing its ill-effects), participate in the socio-civic activities to clean up the river, to create awareness of this concern, and the like.
We appeal to government and non-government agencies to pay heed to this valid restlessness, which in the end will redound to so much benefits for our people.