Preparations are underway for the launching on February 17 of the showcase area of Pasig Bigyang Buhay Muli phase 3 project, which features a riverbank and esplanade, among others.
First Lady Louise “Liza” Araneta-Marcos on Saturday gave Filipinos a peek into the project’s features.
“I can’t wait to share this with all of you!” she said in a post on Instagram.
“We’re putting the final touches on phase 3 of the Pasig Bigyang Buhay Muli showcase area and it’s turning out to be absolutely beautiful,” the First Lady wrote.
“Plaza Mexico, Maestranza Esplanade and the Fort Santiago Riverwalk are coming to life, ready to welcome everyone with open arms,” she added.
Araneta-Marcos shared a carousel of photos showing the ongoing meetings as well as a peek at the project’s West Showcase Area featuring the said plaza, esplanade, and riverwalk.
“Let’s gather together, take a stroll and fall in love with the Pasig River all over again,” Araneta-Marcos said.
The Pasig Bigyang Buhay Muli project was inaugurated in January last year, with President Ferdinand ”Bongbong” Marcos Jr. saying the rehabilitation of the Pasig River would be people-centered and community-driven.
Informal settlers on the riverbank were relocated by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) for the project.
The showcase area, spanning almost 500 meters behind the Manila Central Post Office building, is part of the initial phase of the multi-agency urban renewal project spearheaded by the Inter-Agency Council for the Pasig River Urban Development (IAC-PRUD) chaired by DHSUD Secretary Jose Rizalino Azucar.
The project aims to transform the Pasig River into a center of economic activity, tourism, and transportation connectivity in Metro Manila and adjacent provinces.
The showcase area meanwhile will serve as a public park consisting of a pedestrian-friendly walkway on a concrete platform, which will be equipped with a water fountain accented by lighting and sitting areas that can serve as an open-air venue for events. —KG, GMA Integrated News
