“Water, like religion and ideology, has the power to move millions of people…and all people, everywhere and every day need it.” says Mikhail Gorbachev, founder and president of Green Cross International (as quoted by Peter Swanson in his book “Water: The Drop of Life”).
The legendary Pasig River which connects Laguna de Bay to Manila Bay, once regarded as the capital city’s transportation artery and, center of trade now flows through a path that is surrounded by the densely populated areas of Metro Manila. Winding through eight cities and three municipalities the river has deteriorated to its current deplorable condition due to rapid urbanization and the accompanying urban sprawl. It now appears to be the megacity’s sewer rather than its lifeline.
Numerous organizations, most prominently the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission (PRRC) have already implemented various measures to rehabilitate the river but the damage caused by decades of misuse and abuse will entail more time, money, resources, and significantly, the sincere cooperation of its stakeholders to revive the river’s lost grandeur.
The FEATINIAN Initiative
FEATI University which is situated on Pasig River’s north bank is just one of the private institutions that have initiated projects to rehabilitate the river and its
environs. What is noteworthy in this latest effort is that it is implemented by the thirteen universities of the U-Belt Consortium and the Industrial Technology Development Institute (ITDI) with the cooperation of the PRRC, monitored by the Philippine Council for Industry & Energy Research & Development (PCIERD) and financially supported by the Department of Science & Technology (DOST). As a socially responsible educational institution, FEATI recognized the urgent need for action in providing real solutions to the river’s present condition and featured these measures at its fifth S & T Expo aptly themed “STewardship through S&T: S&T Initiatives on Pasig River, Tributaries and Surrounding Areas” held March 6 and 7 at the FEATI Bridgepoint. The S&T Expo serves as a venue for the exposition of the
Enjoying the Expo ExhibitsFrom left: Bgy 603 Sta. Cruz Chairperson Josie Dee, VPAA Dr. Leopoldo V. Abis, Pres. Dr.-Ing. Adolfo Jesus R. Gopez
University’s research efforts by its students, faculty members and Institutional partners. S&T advocates graced the event, prominent among them being the guest speaker, Dr. Ester B. Ogena, Director of the Science Education Institute (SEI) of the DOST. As part of her official function at SEI, Dr. Ogena is at the forefront of the S&T Human Resource Development Program of the country. In her keynote speech Dr. Ogena invited the U-Belt Consortium to transform its Pasig River research information into electronic and video form for the education of elementary and high school students.
The exhibitors were the Carlos Palanca Stakeholders Working Group, FEATI Professional Schools, ITDI, PRRC, PCIERD, Technology Application and Promotion Institute, the U-Belt Consortium Research & Extension Linkage and Manila Science High School.
The event also featured an orienteering challenge, On-the-Spot Art Competition and Digital Arts Contest for high school students. There was also an art competition for selected FEATI students.
High School students from Manila Science High School and Xavier School participate in the orienteering challenge & digital arts contest.
In its fifth year, the Expo featured the FEATI led U-Belt Consortium project, “Application of Sediment Quality Guidelines in Assessing Metal Contamination of Sediments Along Pasig River and its Tributaries,” where each of the thirteen U-Belt member-universities adopted a specific Pasig River tributary-estero and took the responsibility of sampling the sediments and having them analyzed and assessed for heavy metal contents by ITDI. The data obtained from this DOST supported project will be used for S&T based stewardship of the adopted tributary-esteros.
In the research competition, the Chemical Engineering Department was this year’s recipient of the prestigious Zara Cup for their project entitled “Briquettes from Pasig River Water Lilies”. This project aims to find an alternative use for this Pasig River aquatic plant, and provide the consuming public with a low-cost alternative fuel, effectively increasing the energy supply.
ß The prize of Ingenuity: (from left) Chemical Engineering students Jophine Montaño, Ma. Victoria Gacutan, Marife Tuscano with adviser Mr. Modesto Aguila (holding the Cup), winners of the Zara Cup.
ther commendable entries geared towards Pasig river’s environmental and sociological rehabilitation include Chemical Engineering’s “Pasig River Dredged Sediment as an Alternative
Fuel and Raw Material” & “Mitigation of the Pollution Level of Estero de la Reina Regente Effluent into the Pasig River,” Civil Engineering’s “Utilization of Compressed Pasig River Sediment
Blocks as Wall Panel for Low-Cost Housing” & “Sawdust and Water Lily Derivatives as Non-Veneer Panel for Interior Wall,” and Information Technology’s “System Development Study for the Effective Dissemination of Information on the Working Initiatives on the Pasig River, its Tributaries and Surrounding Areas through an Electronic Bulletin”.
The Carlos Palanca Urban Renewal Project was exhibited as a comprehensive study that is aimed at improving the present conditions of the street through urban renewal and the rehabilitation of the street’s deteriorating components. A FEATI contribution to the U-Belt Consortium’s concerted research efforts on urban renewal, this project has progressed to the point where the Carlos Palanca Stakeholders Working Group (CPSWG) has been established to determine specific measures for the improvement of the street and its immediate environs. Carlos Palanca is the street fronting FEATI University and is only a few meters away from the Pasig River. Previous to this stage, FEATI College of Architecture had already conducted a research-based investigation into the street’s history that was published in the University Belt Consortium Research Journal.
FEATI University S&T Expo 2008 was indeed a remarkable feat by the academe that has given exhibitors and spectators alike a breath of hope for the legend that has been and will always be Manila’s lifeline: the Pasig River. (CMS)
