San Miguel clean-up of Pasig River part of P95-B expressway project

MANILA: San Miguel Corporation (SMC), the other half of the joint venture that’s part of the concession agreement to build the Pasig River Expressway (PAREX), has already begun a massive clean-up of the river in order to be able to commence construction.

Pasig River was called “uncleanable” by President Duterte last year and was cited in a 2017 study as the world’s eighth-most polluting river when it comes to unwanted micro and surface concentrations of plastic waste.

Last month, SMC started cleaning Pasig River and was able to extract 20,000 cubic meters or 2,150 truck-loads of silt and garbage from a 5.25 km stretch of the Tullahan from Malabon to Navotas, which constitutes the first phase of the project. Daily, the company has been removing some 600 tons of solid waste from the river.

As difficult as this endeavor may be, SMC president and COO Ramon S. Ang see this as an opportunity to hit two birds with one stone — build a highway to reduce traffic congestion while attempting to clean and rehabilitate Pasig River.

“Of all the projects we have done, this will perhaps be among the most challenging, and at the same time, the most fulfilling. Not only will we be building a much-needed direct link between eastern and western Metro Manila, but we will also be leading a historic effort to bring the Pasig River back to health,” said Ang.

To build the 19.4-kilometer, six-lane elevated expressway, the river bed has to be dredged and cleared of debris and garbage in order to attain its optimum depth and ensure the constant flow of water. It will start from Radial Road 10 (R10) in the City of Manila and end at a connection to the Southeast Metro Manila Expressway (SEMME), otherwise known as Circumferential Road 6 (C6). Once completed, it is seen to reduce travel time from Manila to Rizal to just 15 minutes.

From R10, or the port area, it will have entry and exit points at the University Belt area, San Juan, Buendia, Mandaluyong, Makati, Rockwell, Edsa, Pioneer St., Bonifacio Global City (BGC), C5, before terminating at C6. It will also provide an alternative and faster access to the country’s largest business districts like Makati, Ortigas, and BGC.

“For so many decades, even when I was young, the Pasig River had been synonymous to pollution. Many Filipinos have long wanted to clean it and revive it, bring it back to its old glory. There were even high-profile fund-raising projects and similar initiatives to clean it. But unfortunately, not much has changed,” Ang added.

Photo from SMC

Also read: SLEX TR5, Pasig River Expressway project to start in 2 years