PASIG RIVER

The Pasig River system runs through five cities and four municipalities and it connects two large, important bodies of water; Manila Bay in the west and Laguna de Bay in the east (the largest freshwater lake in the country and connects 30 suburban towns to the metropolitan center). Before the colonial period, the Pasig River was the main point of entry for international trade into what is now the City of Manila. Advancements in land transportation have changed the landscape considerably.

Traditionally, the municipalities upstream were fishing communities relying mostly on the Pasig River and Laguna de Bay, while the settlements downstream experienced rapid urbanization with the influx of trade from other provinces and countries. Before pollution virtually extinguished aquatic life, the whole 25km of the Pasig River between Laguna de Bay served as a habitat for 25 varieties of fish and 13 different types of aquatic plant. Today, there are only six species of fish and two types of plants left that can tolerate the polluted water. The situation, however, is not irreversible. During the rainy months of June to December each year, fish from Laguna de Bay are carried by floodwaters to the Pasig River. The flushing effect of the increased water levels in Laguna de Bay increase the dissolved oxygen content of the river to a level that increases its potential for some aquaculture activities. Unfortunately, during dry summer months of March to May, the river is virtually dead because the water becomes stagnant with the much reduced flow.

The banks of Pasig River are lined by squatter colonies consisting of approximately 12, 000 households. About 2, 000 live in houses on stilts or under bridges, in sub- human conditions, where they present a danger to themselves and to the vessels using the river. The settlements have no sanitary facilities and their liquid and solid wastes are discharged straight into the river.

The various subcultures existing in Metro Manily result in many problems that reflect the socio economic characteristics of the city. With the continuous dumpin of wastes, the river beds has become more and more silted with organic matter and non- biodegradable rubbish. This results in serious flooding along the river, affecting nearby communities and carrying polluted water the the households living close to the river.

Increasing urban migration and economic difficulties

From 1988 to 1990, the rate of migration into the squatter colonies along the riverbank was estimated at 73 per cent. A steady influx of migration into the metropolis has resulted in the congestion and exploitation of land and, ultimately, the Pasig River. Increasing poverty in the rural areas has driven rural people to migrate to Metro Manila to seek better income opportunities. The river banks are the most logical areas for new settlements because many of the other squatter colonies in the metropolis are already overpopulated.

The economic problems experienced by the government have prevented it from providing better housing facilities for the poor. Similarly they have been unable to address the deficient infrastructure or to introduce anti- pollution measure and this has resulted in the present state of the river and its environment.