President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has ordered the creation of a powerful new office tasked with reviving the dying Pasig River, once the heart of Manila’s commerce and culture.
Under Executive Order No. 92, signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on August 13, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Pasig River Rehabilitation (OPAPRR) has been established.
📷: Philippine Daily Inquirer
The new office will be headed by a Cabinet-ranked Presidential Adviser, who will oversee policies, projects, and enforcement mechanisms to ensure the river’s full rehabilitation. It will coordinate with local governments, government corporations, national agencies, and private partners to harmonize all efforts along the river’s 25-kilometer stretch.
The OPAPRR will submit bi-annual progress reports directly to the President.
This move is part of the “Pasig Bigyang Buhay Muli” initiative, a sweeping plan to transform the polluted waterway into a hub for commerce, tourism, recreation, and transport—featuring parks, bike lanes, walkways, and commercial zones.
The order also reorganizes the Inter-Agency Council for the Pasig River Urban Development (IAC-PRUD). The Presidential Adviser for Pasig River Rehabilitation will serve as chair, with the MMDA chair as vice chair, and key Cabinet officials—including those from DPWH, DENR, DILG, DOLE, DOT, DOTr, DOF, DBM, and DHSUD—sitting as members.
The Pasig River, linking Laguna de Bay to Manila Bay, has long suffered from industrial pollution, informal settlements, and failed rehabilitation campaigns. Marcos’s directive signals a more centralized and hardline approach after decades of stalled initiatives.