Binondo, Manila
January 17, 2024
“Hindi po ito ningas-kugon na kampanya o flavor of the month lang. This will be pursued relentlessly… You do not expect any half-hearted commitments, not from this President. In everything I do, I am all fully in,” vowed President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. as he led the ceremonial opening of the ‘Pasig Bigyang Buhay Muli’ (PBBM): Pasig River Urban Development Project at the Jones Bridge in Binondo, City of Manila.
Speaking before various stakeholders, President Marcos Jr. laid down the government’s transformative goal to revitalize and utilize Pasig River as an economic, transport and tourism hub that will connect Metro Manila to nearby provinces.
“We are here to consecrate ourselves to the mission of transforming Pasig River to what it is supposed to be: A living river of multiple benefits for the multitude, featuring safe walkways and bikeways along its banks, a green corridor that will serve as lungs our city needs, and a string of parks for communities nearby,” he said.
More than just the beautification of the Pasig River, the initial 25-kilometer stretch funded through donations and public-private partnerships will feature commercial enterprises, green technology and improved maritime highways.
“Make no mistake about it. It will be a people-centered and community-driven development, with ideas crowdsourced from experts and carried out with political will,” he added. He also assured the informal settler families (ISF) who will be affected by the project that they will be prioritized as beneficiaries of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development’s (DHSUD) affordable housing programs.
Ensuring Pasig River’s continuous development, President Marcos Jr. directed the Inter-Agency Council for the Pasig River Urban Development (IAC-PRUD) to submit quarterly and yearly progress reports.
The Chief Executive also answered the challenge posed by this endeavor saying, “I will not be deterred from placing a big bet on this endeavor because the presidency is all about attaining the grand, and not wasting mandates on the petty. Kagaya ng laging pinapaalala sa atin ng ating butihing kalihim ng DHSUD, go big or go home,” he said.
The President credited the First Lady as the driving force behind this project, being a staunch advocate and passionate champion for the revival of the Pasig River.
“Mga kababayan, ang panimula ng pagbabago sa bahaging ito ng Ilog Pasig ay bahagi ng itinatatag nating Bagong Pilipinas. May kaayusan at kalinisan, may kaginhawaan at kasaganahang paparating para sa lahat,” he said, concluding his message.
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