President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has signed an executive order creating the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Pasig River Rehabilitation, giving it Cabinet rank and reorganizing the inter-agency council tasked with restoring the historic waterway.
Executive Order No. 92, signed on August 13 and made public on August 18, establishes the new office under the Office of the President to oversee and coordinate government efforts for the rehabilitation and development of the Pasig River and nearby waterways.
The presidential adviser, to be appointed by the president with the rank of secretary, will monitor and harmonize policies, programs, and activities of national agencies and local governments involved in the project.
The office is also mandated to submit biannual progress reports to Malacañang through the executive secretary.
The Inter-Agency Council for the Pasig River Urban Development (IAC-PRUD), created in 2023, was also reorganized under the order.
The council will now be chaired by the presidential adviser and vice-chaired by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.
It includes key Cabinet secretaries and agency heads from housing, public works, environment, labor, tourism, transportation, and finance, as well as representatives from the cultural and historical sectors.
The reorganized council is authorized to enter into investment contracts or agreements with government agencies and private entities to fund rehabilitation projects, subject to existing laws.
The order directs all concerned government offices, local governments, and private groups to extend full support to the new office and council.
Funding requirements will be drawn from the appropriations of participating agencies, with future allocations to be included in their annual budget proposals.
Malacañang said the measure underscores the administration’s urban renewal agenda, highlighting the Pasig River’s ecological, cultural, and economic importance.
The 25-kilometer river has long suffered from severe pollution but is seen as a potential hub for transportation, tourism, and community development once fully rehabilitated.
EO 92 amends Executive Order No. 35, issued in 2023, which first created the Pasig River urban development council. The new order took effect immediately upon signing.
