MANILA, Philippines—The government agency abolished by President Rodrigo Duterte cried its swan song on Thursday, Nov. 14, saying it respected Duterte’s decision and hoped other agencies continue trying to revive the biologically dead Pasig River.
The Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission (PRRC), which is being run by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) with the ABS-CBN Foundation under a memo of agreement, said it “remained committed to truth, service and the common good.”
The PRRC issued the statement hours after Malacanang released Executive Order No. 93 to abolish the commission.
In its statement, the PRRC said it would help the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), DENR and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) in “winding up of operations as well as transfer of functions, obligations, assets and liabilities.”
Efforts to bring back Pasig River to life, said the PRRC statement, “shall carry on as planned” and that it hoped other agencies “will continue the legacy of the commission” and predecessors which also took on the task of reviving the dead river.
The PRRC was created by former President Joseph Estrada in 1999. In 2010, the late Gina Lopez, of the ABS-CBN Foundation, was appointed as its head.
With the abolition of the PRRC, Duterte gave the task to clean up Pasig River to the Manila Bay Task Force.
The task force, according to Duterte’s order, would take the lead in implementing the Pasig River Rehabilitation Master Plan which was to tap the river’s “potential for transportation, recreation and tourism” while trying to bring it back to life.
READ: Duterte orders abolition of Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission
The President earlier said the government was just wasting time and resources as the river could no longer be cleaned.
He said the government should instead use the funds allocated to PRRC to purchase food and medicine for the people.