The Pasig River Esplanade Is Finally Here: Here's What to Know

(SPOT.ph) Pictures of an improved section of the Pasig River—right by the Central Post Office in Manila—made the rounds online after a grand inauguration Wednesday, January 17. There were boats on the river, the night sky was lit up by fireworks, and people took a stroll along the walkways, current president included. This beautified area of the river is now open to the public and promises a taste of what's to come for the rest of the 25-kilometer stretch of the historic waterway.

Also read: Time and Time Again: A Short History of the Pasig River Rehabilitation Project

What is the Pasig River Esplanade?

What was launched that evening was the 500-meter span of the overall, massive rehabilitation river project. This "baby step" is formally dubbed the "Pasig Bigyang Buhay Muli: Pasig River Urban Development Showcase Area" and is the first physical manifestation the public has of the, yes, Pasig Bigyang Buhay Muli. The structure was done in a Neo-Classical style to blend in with the rehabilitated Jones Bridge and the Central Post Office building.

Also read: How the Manila Central Post Office Is Keeping the Art of Letter Writing Alive

A Project Under the Inter-Agency Council for the Pasig River Urban Development 

Pasig Bigyang Buhay Muli is the main project of the Inter-Agency Council for the Pasig River Urban Development (IAC-PURD), a body in turn created by Executive Order No. 35. This council's main mandate is to facilitate the rehabilitation of the Pasig River as a whole—the entire 25-kilometer stretch. 

A total of 15 government entities are part of the council headed by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD). Among those included are the MMDA (co-lead), DENR, DPWH, DILG, DOT, DOTr, and the NCCA. Paulo Alcazaren, a landscape architect and noted city planner whose name you may know thanks to the Iloilo Esplanade which he designed, has been tapped by the DHUSD as consultant for the designs of the rest of the river's rehabilation project.

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Alcazaren tells SPOT.ph he agreed to come on board because the goal is to create a park that would benefit pedestrians and cyclists alike, much like the Iloilo Esplanade. As President Bongbong Marcos said during the ceremonial launch of the showcase area, the project will not be "cosmetic in nature." 

"Along the 25-kilometer stretch will judiciously sprout commercial enterprises, run by the best stewards and strongest stakeholders of the river’s development—the people themselves,” said the President. “We envision civic spaces where our children will play, our seniors relax, families will exercise, artists can showcase their talents, and the creative can display their wares.” This includes walkways, bike lanes, urban gardens, and an amped up ferry system to ensure the Pasig River as a motorway is also utilized. 

Also read: A Lighthouse and Spanish-Era Houses Were Once Common Sights Along the Old Pasig River

Working Towards a Beautiful and Functional Pasig River

This pilot area is part of the first of nine segments, explains Alcazaren. He is working together with  friend and urban designer William Ti, who heads the WTA Architecture and Design Studio (another reason why he took on the job). A look at WTA's proposed design shows the nine segments will be by area: there is the Port Area in Manila, the Old Santa Ana Racetrack, the Grand Central Makati, all the way to an NCR Frontier in Rizal. Based on the designs, there are covered walkways, spaces for bikes, parks, and commercial areas, too. 

"Ang balak po talaga ay two to three years ay mailatag po 'yong bikeway and pathway na puwede na pong malakaran ng ating mga kababayan habang ginagawa naman po 'yung aesthetics," MMDA Chairman and IAC-PURD Vice-Chair Atty. Romando Artes told ABS-CBN. 

"Mayroon po kasing mga portions, ang gagawin po ay parang two levels. 'Yung jogging path at 'yon pong bikeway ay nasa taas at 'yung shops po ay nasa ilalim," Artes added.

This grand goal will not be completed overnight, acknowledges Alcazaren. It took nine years for the nine-kilometer long Iloilo Esplanade to be realized. The idea is to be able to create an esplanade that spans the stretch of the whole river. The lack of an easement is the most obvious challenge. There are "formal factories and condominiums" built right up to the banks. Then there's also the matter of an estimated 10,000 informal settlers on slate for relocation.

Alcazaren adds that apart from creating the "hardware" for the city's people, it is also important to educate the users; to make sure the "software" is aligned, too. His previous work on Roxas Boulevard—adding in bike lanes, jogging lanes and more—saw the public mistreating the area, with folks even using their motorcycles on it. 

Also read: A Reimagined Metro Manila Through the Eyes of Urban Planners

Not the First Effort to Rehabilitate the Pasig River

Several rehabilitation projects have been launched, with each administration starting from Cory Aquino's mandating a program in some form or another. A few smaller scale changes have managed to stick, from the free ferries to regular cleaning and maintenance.  

Our capital took its name from the trees that once lined this major waterway, but that was hundreds of years ago. Where the next hundred years will take us, only time will tell—for now, we've got the esplanade to look forward to.