ABS-CBN Foundation managing director Gina Lopez at Estero de San Miguel |
ABS-CBN Foundation managing director Gina Lopez with the River Warriors |
“If we clean San Juan River,
we’ll clean half of Pasig River. If we have to clean San Juan River, we have to
clean Quezon City,” said Gina Lopez, the managing director of ABS-CBN
Foundation that operates KBPIP.
Estero de Paco (Quirino to Pedro Gil) - Current taken 20 Sep 2012 |
The rehabilitation process of the
estuary began by relocating thousands of families living along the waterways,
building linear parks, training of River Warriors or community volunteers who
clean and guard the esteros against polluters, and installing active island
reactors to bring life back into the estero waters.
Using Estero de Paco as a template,
Lopez said she wants every estuary in the metro to be developed as a commercial
hub where residents can earn a living and improve their lives. Lopez even takes
pride in the construction of a supermarket and a three-story hotel near Estero
de Paco that she said wouldn’t have been possible had the estero not been
cleaned.
“The conjecture here is that when
you clean the esteros, the economy will boom up,” said Lopez.
Estero de Paco (Trece de Agosto to Apacible) - Current taken 20 Sep 2012 |
Since the estero was cleaned,
substantial changes have been noted in the area. Based on the barangay blotter,
a 40% reduction in crime incidence was recorded in seven out of 16 barangays
near the estero. According to the City of Manila, the value of land near Estero
de Paco has also gone up and might benefit the land owner of up to P2 million
in 20 years.
More notably, a survey sponsored
by KBPIP with 7,000 households living within 200 meters from Estero de Paco
revealed that 100% are getting more exercise, 97% have greater sense of community
pride, 97% are satisfied with their lives, 89% feel less sick, and 89% feel
safer in their community. Eighty five percent of them also claimed they have
lower medical expenses due to their cleaner and healthier environment.
“Cleaning the esteros reaches far
beyond the economic effect. It goes into the very way they feel about
themselves, the way they feel about each other. This is the way to go. We clean
the estero and we have a much happier and fulfilled life,” Lopez stressed.
The long-term crusade for cleaner
waterways in Metro Manila will go full blast in the upcoming “09.30.2012 Run,
Ride & Roll for the Pasig River” to be held at the Quezon City Memorial
Circle on Sunday (Sept 30). Over 80,000 participants are expected to show up
and take part in the advocacy event that will fund the rehabilitation of
esteros in Quezon City.
“The Quezon City experience is
really important because it sets the template for other cities. Unless local
government units take on the cleaning of the esteros, it’s not going to
happen,” said Lopez.
KBPIP has a track record of
organizing three successful runs, namely the 2009 Philippine International
Marathon: A Run for the Pasig River with an estimated 23,000 participants, the
historic 10.10.10 Run for the Pasig River that broke the Guinness World Record
for the “most participants in a racing event” with 116,087 runners, and last
year’s 11.20.2011 Run for the Pasig River was the largest foot race joined by
86,547 runners.
The 10.10.10 Run for the Pasig
River won a Bronze Anvil and an Award of Excellence at the 45th Anvil Awards
given by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines, while the Estero de
Paco clean-up earned an Award of Merit from the 2010 Philippine Quill Awards
given by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC)
Philippines.
Registration for the 09.30.2012
Run for the Pasig River is ongoing at SM North EDSA, SM Megamall, SM Mall of
Asia, R.O.X, Chris Sports Festival Mall and Chris Sports Glorietta.
Registration is until Saturday (Sept 29). Aside from the registration, there
will also be merchandise available in the SM booths, in which part of the
proceeds will also go to the river rehabilitation.
For updates on this advocacy
run -
visit www.runforthepasigriver.com
like www.facebook.com/runforthepasigriver
follow @run4pasigriver on Twitter
Photos by : Faizza Tangol, ABS-CBN Foundation Inc.
Photos by : Faizza Tangol, ABS-CBN Foundation Inc.
No comments:
Post a Comment