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The Pasig River: Reviving a Dead Water in the Philippines

The Pasig River in the Philippines was a clear, flowing body of water that served as the center of commerce in Spanish colonial Manila in the 1800s. Stretching 27 kilometers, it connects Laguna Lake to Manila Bay and was the major source of water and livelihood of the many communities along its banks. People washed clothes in the shallower waters and fisher folks' daily catch were always bountiful. The passenger boats that plied the river from the nearby province of Laguna to Manila and back served as the primary means of transportation. The Pasig river's demise was a slow process that began in the 1930s, when fish migration from Laguna Lake decreased, and people stopped bathing and washing activities. By the 1970s, the river stank and turned black. Water quality dropped. In 1989, the Philippine government began working with international partners to rehabilitate the river. Improvements have been made in the condition of the Pasig River, but it still has along way to go. The Asian Development Bank is working to improve the river alongside government agencies, academics, non-government organizations, and communities and businesses. The Asian Development Bank aims for an Asia and Pacific free from poverty. Approximately 1.4 billion people in the region are poor and unable to access essential goods, services, assets and opportunities to which every human is entitled. Get involved. Share this video. Learn more and interact with ADB by visiting our subscriber services page or our website at http://www.adb.org. More on... Pasig River Environmental Management and Rehabilitation Sector Development Program: https://www.adb.org/projects/30308-013/main ADB's work in the Philippines: https://www.adb.org/philippines

Asian Development Bank

12 years ago
It could be any horribly polluted river in any overburdened, overpopulated Asian city. The Pasig River, which runs 25 kilometers through Manila is like so many rivers - choked by the very people who need it most. Squatting near the river without the most basic facilities like sewage treatment or running water has long been the only option for many of the urban underclass. The Pasig was declared officially dead over 10 years ago incapable of sustaining any form of life, all oxygen exhausted by po
llution dangerous to human contact. Cleaning up the Pasig River has been a slow process. Urban renewal is not only about cleaning embankments and dredging water, and installing sanitation systems it's about policy and institutional reform, technical and environmental knowledge, and political will, and partnering with the private sector and NGOs for sustainable results. "Sustainability is very important. You don't want to go back to..." "...to form if you like three years after the event." "You r
eally want to make sure that everybody who has a stake in that river..." "...in fact cleans it up in a permanent way." Pasig's Estero de Paco looked like this less than a year ago. Treated like a community garbage dump - it was a breeding ground for dengue fever. Clogged and putrid. And dead. In less than a year, Estero is looking better. Embankments, running water, and septic systems have been installed. Water filtration and interceptors are being built to ensure even better water quality. Ever
y day, the state-funded "River Warriors" work for three kilometers of the estuary area cleaning and patrolling the waterway. Cleaning a river that has been certified dead is an extraordinary undertaking. Even the most efficient approach can take over ten years and billions of dollars. A river is part of a city's lifeblood, part of its economy, and essential to its future. The water from rivers must serve the people and the people must treasure their water.

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Comments

@kayessiemariesuga3631

As of now Pasig river is already clean enough to sustain aquatic life and that is a great news for an environmental student like me, I would like to salute those Pasig warriors who never get tired of cleaning and reviving the river for more than a decade. And for us citizens we should avoid throwing our trashes anywhere other than trashcan and we should help clean our environment

@notesl5576

The Pasig river is clean now. The government did its job. ❤

@xy6830

I really love how these guys are named as river warriors.... They truly deserve respect..

@dhicoduarte5453

This video was 10 years ago Pasig River is now back to life , they can catch different fishes it’s one of the sign the river is totally alive

@nilayhd

We Indians should learn from them and need to save our rivers Ganga and Yamuna. They have now become one of the most polluted rivers in the world.

@qwertyqzerty782

First of all, stop throwing stuff in the river

@alipiogopio7377

Please update every place in the Philippines because now is very clean

@htennekblinkue7924

After 10 years, Pasig River has changed a lot thanks to the Government

@jaekragsac3722

Omg 😱 thats the pasig river! From the past but now its SO BEAUTIFUL ❤️

@winniehughes4982

Thank god!! Transformation of Dead pasig River is Amazing and Awesome!!👍😍👍 Watching from Sydney Australia 🇦🇺🇵🇭 2019 !!

@ThisisL3684

Actually this issue can be resolve not only by the government but with the help of the people of the Philippines. We are all contributors to these trash and thanks to gov's efforts for reviving this body of water.

@surinmansukh3603

Welcome to New Delhi, India. Yamuna River is much more worst.

@douglasshadell7225

Stop having children if you are poor problem solved

@dinoalano279

Maraming salamat sa lahat ng nasa likod nitong paglilinis ng Pasig river,mga bayani kayo

@edwardladrera86

I passed by two bridges yesterday in manila and I am glad that the rivers underneath were moving and no garbage. No longer black but brown. There are still many things to be done perhaps before the water becomes clear.

@triplestar7263

This is why thanos want to wipe out haft of the universe

@johnsmart964

Thank you for bringing us this very interesting and informative video presentation, it is much appreciated by the people and is a great encouragement to see what can be done if there is a 'can do' attitude with the community. We are glad to see such an attitude here.

@jasminepalacio4476

This is what Pasig river looks 10 years ago wow 😯 Now pasig river is clean 😍 there are even fishes.

@airspun9801

2019.. pls report on the Philippines winning the River Prize in Australia 🇦🇺 Thank you!

@vickylanding2830

Thanks for everyone that helped support cleanliness and healthy environment for the people God bless 🙏💞