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Pasig River beats China’s Yangtze River in 2018 Asia River Prize

Restored Pasig River clinched the 2018 Asia River Prize on Tuesday, beating co-finalist Yangtze River of China.

International River Foundation (IRF) judges were amazed at how successful the transformation of Pasig river was.

“Critical to the success of the story was bringing the community, around 18,000 people, to decent housing and transforming these communities and their lives into environmentally responsible citizens,” said IRF judges during the 21st International River Symposium in Sydney, Australia.

The award-giving body sheds light to organizations that are making huge contributions to river basin restoration and waste management in the community.

The 27-kilometer river will advance for Stage 2 of the Theiss International Riverprize in 2019 after being runner-up to the San Antonio River in Texas last year, according to the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission (PRRC).

Pasig River was declared biologically dead in the 1990s due to uncontrollable pollution caused by rapid population growth and continuous industrial development along its riverbanks.

The creation of PRRC in 1999 led to the resettlement of over 18,719 families living near the riverbanks, dismantlement of 376 private structure along the river, and diversion of almost 22,000 kilograms of solid waste.

Photo credit: Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission (PRRC)

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