Aquino To Revive Pasig River?

[Win2Win]

I’m just wondering did President Benigno Aquino III really need to go out and visit that estero in Manila just so he can assess the situation of our country’s tributaries. I mean, doesn’t he already know that our creeks are among the filthiest in the world? Well, whether or not that little inspection of his [...]

I’m just wondering did President Benigno Aquino III really need to go out and visit that estero in Manila just so he can assess the situation of our country’s tributaries. I mean, doesn’t he already know that our creeks are among the filthiest in the world?

Well, whether or not that little inspection of his was just another media gimmick, I’ll give him credit for at least putting back the rehabilitation of Pasig River in the news.

According to the report over at GMAnews.TV, President Aquino already met with the Pasig River Rehabilitation Council — or is that Commission? — and was briefed on the river’s present status and what else needs to be done to bring it back to life.

I’m not sure if I misheard him, but I think President Aquino said something about reviving the river within his term is possible, based on the information given to him. Wow! I hope he got correct information to come out with such a pronouncement. It would really disappoint a lot of people including myself if this statement of his turns out to be just like those sweeping promises he made during the campaign season.

I guess the best thing that the president should do now that he has raised the expectations of those who want to see Pasig River in all its former glory is to provide some specifics in the coming days.

A few questions come to mind:

• Does the rehabilitation plan include the relocation of informal settlers living along the river?
• How about the factories and other industrial facilities operating and possibly dumping all sorts of waste materials into the river?
• Will they also be removed as proposed by some people?
• How exactly will the cleanup be done?
• What technologies will be used?
• How much will be spent?
• Who will shoulder the cost?

The last two questions are of course very important. Considering its money problems, the government may not have enough resources for this. But then again it’s President Aquino we’re talking about here. The Great Yellow Hope as described by some.

Consumer Karma of Philippine Consumer Reports thinks President Aquino has what it takes to gather private sector support for such a project.

We fully believe that if President Aquino is serious about cleaning up Pasig River, it will happen.* He has the backing of a lot of people and I think all city governments — as well as corporations and private sector groups — will pull all stops to help him.

I hope this blogger’s assessment is correct.

Join \\\"Hindi Ako Uto-Uto Movement\\\"




Content from...

[gecko_pikachu]

He's probably getting millions of filter to clean the Pasig river bwahaha!
How on earth he will manage to do the cleaning?
Do you think there's still a way to revive the river?

[fred]

Of course there is..First job is to bulldoze and relocate the squatters and then let the dredgers do their thing..Not sure how long it takes before its clean enough for fish?? Probably 10/15 years?
The biggest challenge though is keeping it clean..Most people here just chuck their rubbish in nearby creeks and steams and a lot of it ends up back in the river..

Dont forget..The Thames was a pretty toxic/filthy river 20 years ago..

[KeithD]

...one day the river through Davao will flow crystal blue ..... however when that does happen mankind would have been wiped out 1000's of years earlier

[rani]

i believe that the rehabilitation of the pasig river is still possible.. it will take years, lots of money, dedication, and effort to make it fresh again... however, filipinos should be more disciplined to be able to achieve this "great yellow hope"

[gecko_pikachu]

Before the mass urbanization of Manila, the Pasig River served as an important means of transport and functioned as the city's lifeline and center of economic activity.

Some of the most prominent kingdoms in early Philippine history, including the kingdoms of Namayan, Maynila, and Tondo sprang up along the banks of this river, drawing their life and source of wealth from it.

When the Spanish established Manila as the capital of their colonial properties in the Far East, they built the walled city of Intramuros on the southern bank of Pasig River near the mouth.

After World War II, massive population growth, infrastructure construction, and the dispersal of economic activities to Manila's suburbs left the river abandoned.

The banks of the river attracted informal settlers and remaining factories dumped their wastes into the river, making it effectively a huge sewer system.

The increasing pollution in the river was first noticed in the 1930s when it was observed that fish migration from Laguna de Bay diminished.

People ceased using the river's water for laundry in the 1960s and ferry transport declined. By the 1970s, the river started to give offensive smells and in the 1980s, fishing in the river became nonviable. Pasig River was considered biologically dead in the 1990s.

[fred]

"great yellow hope"

Actually this rehab project was started by GMA..
Aquino just wants the credit...Same with 1000`s of other projects already under way in the P.I. at the beginning of his term..
What has he ever done for Filipino`s in the past?? Nothing as far as I can see..