The Pasig River is an iconic landmark in the Philippines, particularly in Metro Manila. But in the past decades, it was mostly cast in a bad light due to its degraded state, which is an irony considering its proximity to Malacañang Palace. Last month, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos led the ceremonial opening of the “Pasig Bigyang Buhay Muli: Pasig River Urban Development Showcase Area” project. In his speech, the President stressed that the project’s lead proponent is the First Lady, describing her as “a passionate champion of this river’s revival, who has been quietly doing the spadework as is her way on this project.”

Lamentillo, A. M. Y. (2024, February 7). Breathing new life into Pasig River. Manila Bulletin, p. 7.