To stimulate and sustain solid waste management practices along waterway easements that will contribute to the reduction of volume of waste ending up in waterways and drainage areas, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will establish a linear park along the easement of San Juan River in Barangay Batis.
In an inspection conducted with the Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos, Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Jerry Acuzar, and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora, MMDA Acting Chairman Atty. Don Artes said that the linear park will house greeneries, material recovery facilities, rain harvesting facility, and sewage treatment plant, through the help of Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), to ensure that the water that will flow from the San Juan River to Pasig River is clean.
A jogging path, walkway, and bike way will also be constructed.
“With the low water quality due to the high liquid and solid waste present due to the informal settlements present along the easement, the MMDA aims to upgrade the easement of waterways to protect geological formation of the river bank, ensure proper solid waste management in the area, and encourage social activities that are more beneficial to the community,” Artes said of the Neighborhood Upgrading (NU) Project.
For Abalos, the river easement will serve as a showcase area for President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Program and the Pasig River Urban Development Project.
“On this site will rise housing for informal settler families (ISFs) in the area. Along with the project is the rehabilitation and beautification of tributaries connected to the Pasig River, anchored in reviving the glory days of the river,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, Acuzar said that the rehabilitation initiatives for San Juan River will stem through Manila and Quezon City.
“This project will signify the start of beautification of the environment and the whole metropolis.”
“This project will signify the start of beautification of the environment and the whole metropolis,” he said.
Zamora, for his part, thanked the MMDA for the project aimed at cleaning up and improving Pasig River banks and its tributaries.
“We are very excited to partner in another beautification project with the MMDA, especially one that will greatly improve the way our linear park looks. We also wanted to create more open spaces for San Juaneños and in turn educate them in caring for the environment,” the mayor said.
Besides being in line with the President’s directive to provide decent housing to the ISFs, Artes said clearing waterways from informal settlers is greatly beneficial to the environment.
“ISF-free easements will result in unimpeded flow of water and reduced flooding.”
“ISF-free easements will result in unimpeded flow of water and reduced flooding,” he said.
“Reduced volume of waste will help in improving the sanitation conditions in the communities along the waterways and optimizing the flood control functions of waterways and drainage channels leading to pumping stations as targeted by the Metro Manila Flood Management Project,” Artes added.
The Metro Manila Flood Management Project (MMFMP) is the Phase 1 of the implementation of the Metro Manila Flood Management Masterplan that aims to reduce the vulnerability to and strengthen resilience against floods.
The Project is a joint venture of the MMDA and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
