19/06/2025
“A River Worth Saving: Preserving the Pasig for Our Communities”
Ladies and gentlemen, honored guests, members of our community –
Good morning.
I stand before you today not simply to speak about a river, but to speak about a living, breathing artery that connects our history, our livelihoods, and our everyday lives - the Pasig River.
The Pasig is more than just water flowing between Laguna de Bay and Manila Bay. It is a historical witness, a vital transport corridor, and a cherished recreational space. It is a lifeline for communities, for culture, and for commerce. And for centuries, it has been the heart and soul of countless lives, including those of us here today. The Pasig has a bad reputation and is even feared by people because of the perception that it is no more than a sewerage drain running through the metropolis. It is not. Unfortunately, it is the Marikina River and in particular the San Juan river which pour their detritus and pollution into the Pasig which gives it a bad name. Of course, there are certain esteros which compound the problem as well.
Since 1895, the Manila Boat Club - one of Asia’s oldest rowing clubs and the oldest sporting club in the Philippines - has proudly rowed these waters. That is 130 years. We’ve been at our current location in Sta Ana since 1930. That’s nearly a century of uninterrupted presence at our current locat ion on the banks of this river. The only times the rowers of Manila Boat Club have been curtailed in their activities was during WWII and the Covid pandemic. Our members row almost every day. We do not just use the river - we live with it, observe it, respect it, and defend it. We are truly Taga Ilog.
From this deep familiarity, we see changes others may not. We feel that we are the river’s stewards and its frontline witnesses. We’ve seen its ebbs and flows, its recoveries and its wounds. Which is why we must raise our collective voice now.
A proposal is on the table: to build an overhead expressway along the banks and above the waters of the Pasig River, - known as PAREX. We recognize the need to improve transportation in Metro Manila, but this plan, as it stands, is not a solution. It is a threat.
Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary. Jose Rizalino Acuzar. said only last February 27th, on the inauguration of Phase 3 of the Pasig Bigyang Buhay Muli (PBBM) project;
“The transformation of the Pasig River is a testament to our commitment to sustainable development while preserving our nation’s rich cultural heritage. We accomplished this with the all-out support from President Marcos Jr. and the First Lady,”
This initiative aligns with Executive Order 35 issued by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., on July 25th, 2023 which mandates the “rehabilitation of the Pasig River to its historically pristine condition, conducive to transport, recreation and tourism.”
The logic of approving a six-lane expressway to cover most of the river completely escapes me. Hopefully, our President will listen to the First Lady and the public he represents during the deliberations on this matter and advise the relevant department heads what common sense is all about.
Let’s consider the consequences.
First, the impact on navigation.
The Pasig has always been a water highway. Small boats, commercial barges, rowers, tourists - this is a shared river.
An overhead expressway introduces pylons into the river, narrowing navigation channels, increasing the risk of collisions, and disrupting current flows.
We need only look to the Makati-Mandaluyong Bridge as a case study. The recent strengthening of that bridge, though perhaps structurally sound, has unintentionally created a fast, dangerous current in the already narrow section beneath it. This is not theoretical - it is real and it is hazardous. Rowers must now adjust their routes or decide to take a risk passing through, or even avoid that section entirely thereby reducing the distance they can safely row. Even small commercial vessels are placed at risk. Furthermore, large tugboats are sometimes prevented from passing under that bridge at certain times, because of the strength of the current.
Second, the environmental and recreational cost.
The proposed expressway will cast a long shadow - literally and figuratively - over recreation on the river. Once you darken the river with concrete, you drive away not only the rowers, but any water sports practitioner, and the tourists who come to experience the beauty and calm that this waterway still offers.
I was lucky enough in my youth to learn sailing on the River Thames at Windsor in the UK. The constraints of riverbanks combined with flukey winds and shifting currents taught me well. I have always wanted to try sailing dinghies on the Pasig and hopefully promoting the sport to inner-city kids - this will never be possible with an elevated expressway above our heads.
When I row, I delight in seeing egrets fishing along the banks or standing majestically on small floating islands of water lilies and drifting downstream whilst looking for fish, catching a glimpse of the iridescent flash of a kingfisher or watching terns and swallows dipping into the river for insects and tidbits. With a concrete roof, this is all sure to disappear. The delight of fishing clubs that have weekend competitions along the banks will turn to despair.
As we all appreciate, riverside property is highly sought after in cities across the world. Having a six-lane expressway outside your windows will not only destroy property values but also deter any further residential development along the river. Industrial development may continue, but is that what we want in our inner cities? Several cities such as Seoul, and Portland in the US have realized the negative impact of these expressways and are tearing them down to let their rivers breathe again. New York and Paris are also evaluating highway removals to reconnect communities. Indeed Paris started their reclamation projects for the last Olympics. Can we not learn from them?
Our first lady, Liza Araneta Marcos led the inauguration of the Pasig Bigyang Buhay Muli (PBBM) Project's Phase 3, perhaps she can lead the fight back against PAREX?
With increased vehicle traffic overhead, we’ll face more noise, more pollution, and the ever-present risk of runoff - oil, metals, and other contaminants trickling down into the water.
The wildlife - fish, birds, and aquatic plants - will suffer. We are finally seeing some return of biodiversity along the Pasig due to cleanup efforts. This will reverse that progress. I have dedicated many days in my role as an officer of the Philippine Coastguard Auxiliary, working with PCG and stakeholders to clear trash from the river. Will that all have been in vain?
An improved public transport system is what is required across Manila so ALL Filipinos, not just the wealthy car owners, will benefit. Yes, I know there is a proposed bus lane in the PAREX plans but that will not in my view have sufficient capacity and lt takes time to get the people used to using a new transport system as evidenced by the several failures of the Pasig River Ferry transport system.
Third, the impact on flood control.
Introducing concrete pillars into the river obstructs flow - especially during the rainy season, when vast amounts of water lilies descend from Laguna de Bay. These obstructions will act as choke points, causing water to back up, possibly make the river impassable. When the flood comes, it won’t politely avoid our homes and businesses. It will hit us harder and faster. I lived through Ondoy and my house was flooded.
Dredging works and the raising of embankments has prevented further flooding of that order but let’s not raise the potential height of the river during flood times by adding obstructions to the flow.
Fourth, a lack of community consultation.
What is perhaps most troubling is this: no one asked us.
The communities along the Pasig - the rowers, the boatmen, the small ferry operators, the families who fish at dawn, the elderly who sit by the banks at sunset - none of us were included in the conversation. The developer has moved forward without the input of those who will live with the consequences, indeed seems determined to ignore them even.
This is not just poor planning. It is undemocratic. Infrastructure cannot be imposed. It must be informed, collaborative, and accountable.
And finally, we must ask: What are we sacrificing?
When we lose our rivers, we lose more than water. We lose identity. We lose resilience. We lose a connection between people and place.
We in the Manila Boat Club are not anti-development. But we are pro-sensible development - development that respects the river, that listens to communities, and that does not sacrifice long-term sustainability for short-term convenience and profit.
The Pasig is already under strain. We do not need to burden it further with a project that risks more than it promises.
Let us imagine alternatives - river ferries, bike paths, green corridors, a mono-rail even - solutions that move people without destroying the spaces that still nurture life.
The Pasig River is worth fighting for. It has carried us for centuries. Let us not abandon it now.
Thank you.
