NGOs ROLE IN THE PASIG RIVER REHABILITATION PROGRAM

Transcription

1 NGOs ROLE IN THE PASIG RIVER REHABILITATION PROGRAM FORUM Network for Urban Futures in Southeast Asia SUMMER SCHOOL 2009: CIVIL SOCIETY Cologne, Germany Imelda Baleta

2 Outline Context The Pasig River The Pasig River Rehabilitation Program Civil Society: NGO Projects and Activities Lessons Learned Conclusions and Recommendations

3 PHILIPPINES

4 FORUM Summer School in the Philippines 2007

5 A 27-kilometer river which links Manila Bay in the west and Laguna de Bay in the east It traverses - the cities of Manila, has four (4) major Mandaluyong, Makati, tributaries Pasig, and Taguig, San Juan - and the municipality of River Marikina River Taytay Napindan River Pateros-Taguig River and 43 minor tributaries

6 Pasig River was once a picture of a healthy river that reflects the various colors of life.... a picturesque image of floating houseboats, fishermen laying their nets, river merchants, natives bathing and enjoying the clear water of the river, and busy lavanderas along the banks (Harper, A River With A Past) the highway or the major transport route for barter and trade, from which the goods of the orient found their way to the western world. (Harper, A River With A Past)

7 Pasig River became dark and devoid of life. (Pasig River, River of Life) Timeline of Deterioration 1930: decreased in fish migration 1950: noticeable drop in the people s bathing activities 1960: obvious drop in both bathing and washing activities 1970: the river began to smell bad and water quality fell below Class C level 1980: all fishing activities stopped 1990: was declared biologically dead

8 The state of the Pasig River and its environs at the start of the 1990s is characterized by dark, murky waters, islands of floating garbage, sunken boats and derelicts, colonies of makeshift shanties, proliferation of factories discharging untreated wastewater, and frequent flooding.

9 - 1991: Feasibility study on rehabilitation (DANIDA-funded) - 21 projects in 15 years at P15 billion (US$312.5 m) to achieve Class C water standard : Presidential Task Force on Pasig River Rehabilitation; birth of Sagip Pasig Movement (Save the Pasig River Movement) and Clean & Green Foundation, Inc. (1994) : Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission: chaired by DENR, co-chaired by MMDA, with 11 government agency members, Clean & Green Foundation, Inc. as member : Pasig River Environmental Management and Rehabilitation Sector Development Program (ADB-funded)

10 San Juan River Marikina River Pasig River Quarterly Water Quality Monitoring of the Pasig, San Juan, and Marikina Rivers Vacuum tankers for septic tank emptying services in the Cities of Makati, Mandaluyong, San Juan, Taguig and Municipality of Pateros

11 Sources of Pollution Solid Waste 10% Industrial Waste 45% Industrial Waste 30% Domestic Waste 45% 1990 Solid Waste 5% 2000 Domestic Waste 65% The shift in organic pollution load to Pasig River by source is attributed to the waste minimization and river garbage collection projects of the Pasig River Rehabilitation Program. Through these, industrial waste generation was reduced and garbage collection in the river became more efficient. On the other hand, no improvements were made in the management of domestic liquid wastes due to continued increase in the population and absence of a sewerage system in Metro Manila. In 1990, when population within the Pasig River basin was about 4.4 million, 88 percent of the population or 3.8 million people were unsewered.

12 Civil Society non-state actors whose aims are neither to generate profits nor to seek governing power. CSOs unite people to advance shared goals and interests. CSOs include NGOs, professional associations, foundations, independent research institutes, CBOs, faith-based organizations, Pos, social movements, and labor unions (ADB 2009, Civil Society Organization Sourcebook)

13 CSO Strengths: (i) mobilizing resources that the state alone cannot; (ii) educating and motivating people to address social and environmental challenges; (iii) providing frank perspectives on the potential effects of policies and projects, as well as possible measures for improvement; (iv) training leaders, disseminating information and conducting research relating to public policy challenges; (v) Introducing new development approaches and models

14 Clean and Green Foundation (Advocacy) Sagip Pasig Movement - The oldest and only NGO in the Phils whose main concern is community mobilization for sustainable river rehabilitation (Community Organization)

15 Clean and Green: Piso para sa Pasig Concert series Music album Heritage map International Marathon Cleanest and Greenest Barangay contest Riverwatch Volunteer Group Assistance in setting up junkshop cooperatives Pasig River Symposium - Turned over to Bantay Kalikasan in 2008

16 Sagip Pasig Movement: - Developed the Clean River Zone (CRZ) Model as the blueprint for the communities along the Pasig River, focusing on their activation as resource managers and program partners. The CRZ concept is a multisectoral approach to river rehabilitation efforts which entails information campaigns, advocacy and community mobilization. It puts in placecollaborative structures and venues that enable them to confront and find solutions to poverty and environmental problems.

17 Target CRZs Map Covering MM Waterways Quezon City 55 CRZs PRIORITY CRZs QUEZON CITY Tatalon Dona Imelda Marikina JUAN 6 CRZs SAN San Perfecto Manila 130 CRZs Maytunas San Juan 9 CRZs Mandaluyong 10 CRZs Makati City 13 CRZs Pateros 9 CRZs Pasig City 17 CRZs Taguig 10 CRZs TAGUIG Ligid-Tipas Napindan Wawa Ususan PATEROS Sta. Ana Tabacalera MANDALUYONG Hulo Namayan MAKATI Carmona West Rembo MARIKINA Jesus dela Pena MANILA Calumpang Quiapo Divisoria Tondo PASIG Rosario Kaluwaan

18 MRFs transform city/municipal wastes into useable and marketable resources, while contributing to the reduction of pollution, conservation of energy, creation of job and business opportunities, and improvement of health conditions in the community.

19 - Lason ng Pasig (Poisoner of the Pasig river) Awards, Most Improved Industry Awards, and Dangal ng Pasig Awards - Annual Fluvial Parade on Earth Day - Clean-up drives - Consistently working with the communities and able to facilitate people participation

20 To sustain any river rehabilitation efforts, the community, all stakeholders, must be mobilized into a social movement that is: (i) capable of recruiting other participants for critical research, advocacy work, negotiations, planning and a variety of related tasks; (ii) able to organize the participants into a structure that makes the most efficient and effective use of their resources; and (iii) able to employ tactics that allow them to achieve their goals.

21 Civil society plays a key role in achieving social and environmental goals, hence, should be provided with the necessary support, as the case may be. Civil society activities need further scaling up to a level that can reach all stakeholders possible. Successful waste management programs depends on information dissemination and education about waste reduction which can be effectively provided by civil society (NGOs) working for the environment.

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