LOOK: Pasig's Floating Parks Are Now One Step Closer to Reality

(SPOT.ph) Parks are hard enough to come by in Metro Manila. In Pasig, where some communities live right by flood-prone waterways, the city is trying a different approach: build the park where there is still space left—on the water.

The initiative recently won a $1 million grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies after Pasig was named one of the winners of the 2025–2026 Mayors Challenge, a global competition for city-led projects that improve public services and quality of life. Pasig was one of 24 winning cities selected from more than 630 applications (!!!) worldwide.

The full name of the project is “Hope Floats: Revitalizing Riverside Easements and Urban Green Spaces in Pasig City through Floating Parks.” That pretty much gives a clearer picture of what the city is trying to do: turn structures along its waterways into public spaces where residents can gather, play, and relax.

Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto said Bloomberg Philanthropies’ support will help this project become a reality. Without it, he said the initiative would likely have had to wait another year or two before getting started.

Also read: Pasig River Esplanade: A Walking Tour with Paulo Alcazaren

So what can residents expect from the floating park once it gets built? According to Sotto, it could include a playground, pocket park, garden, multipurpose area, and other essential facilities for public use like libraries and health clinics.

Conceptual renderings for Hope Floats are created by ALAO Design, giving an early look at how floating public spaces along the river could work.

“As world cities get more dense and accessible land becomes a premium, Pasig City River Park is a case study in how urbanization can reinvent itself for the benefit of its citizens while realigning itself toward nature; no matter the scale.” ALAO wrote in a social media post.

Still, don’t treat those renderings as the final version just yet. The Pasig City government has yet to release the final design, exact locations, construction timeline, and full list of partners for the Bloomberg-funded rollout.

What we do know for sure is that the project is also meant to involve Pasigueños in the process—from helping design the parks to participating in how they are built, managed, and operated.

“We want to do this in a way that models participatory governance,” Sotto said.

In fact, Pasig has already started bringing residents into the picture. The concept was first brought to life in September 2025, when the Pasig City government held a Hope Floats Prototyping Day at the San Joaquin Ferry Station. There, residents were invited to participate in project-related activities. The prototype used a barge—a long, flat-bottomed boat used to transport heavy goods—to show how a floating structure could be converted into a community space.

It’s not the best looking... but it’s a good place to start.

Bloomberg’s Mayors Challenge winners will also receive more than prize money. The program also provides implementation support, including access to Bloomberg Philanthropies experts, which should come in handy for a project that still has to move from prototype to actual construction. For Pasig, that could help answer the practical questions that come with building parks on water: where they will be placed, how they will be maintained, and how they will hold up during heavy rain.

After all, the floating park isn't just meant to be recreational. It's also meant to make better use of riverside areas, add more greenery, and give flood-prone communities safer outdoor spaces they can actually use.

Also read: AI Cleanup Robot Takes On Floating Waste Along Pasig River