Ipo River
Can you imagine how life was during the time of Rizal? Everything was simple. The air is fresh. The mountains are full of life. There is an abundance of flora and fauna.
 |
| Ipo River, Bulacan |
Today, there is a feeling of sadness every time I see the deplorable state of the Pasig River. I often imagine how the river looks like during the time of Rizal.
If the Pasig River is clean as it was before, I can imagine the many benefits it can give to our people. It definitely has great tourism and economic potentials. A clean river that traverses the whole of the metropolis would be very beneficial like those famous rivers in Europe. It is indeed sad that while the Pasig River is a very important waterway, it has been neglected. Instead of preserving the river, it was practically converted to form part of the sewer system.
It is really difficult to understand the callousness of those who throw their garbage into the Pasig River. For every piece of plastic that finds its way to the river means endangering its entire eco-system. Plastic takes years to decompose and worse, it goes into the sea.
While there had been several programs and campaigns to clean up the Pasig River, the objective cannot be attained without the full cooperation of everyone. The government should have the political will of cleaning the river. On the other hand, the private sector should extend its resources to help the government. As concerned citizens, the cudgels of bringing the Pasig River back to life should not be made to rest solely on the government. Everyone should do their share.
I had the rare chance of visiting the Ipo Dam in Norzagaray, Bulacan as part of a group addressing some watershed concerns. The group passed by the dam and I was able to take some photos of the Ipo River. As I looked at the Ipo River, I cannot help thinking about the Pasig River. Perhaps, during Rizal times the Pasig River may have looked like the Ipo River – clean, clear, pristine and full of life.
 |
| Ipo River, Bulacan |
I had the rare chance of visiting the Ipo Dam in Norzagaray, Bulacan as part of a group addressing some watershed concerns. The group passed by the dam and I was able to take some photos of the Ipo River. As I looked at the Ipo River, I cannot help thinking about the Pasig River. Perhaps, during Rizal times the Pasig River may have looked like the Ipo River – clean, clear, pristine and full of life.
With the rapid advent of development and urbanization, we are in a race to save our rivers. The Pasig River has already succumbed to development. From the once mighty river that is a center of commerce during the Spanish times, the Pasig River has been relegated to a dumping site. If Rizal were alive today, I think he would be dismayed with the present state of the Pasig River. Gone are the beautiful maidens that used to frequent the river banks.
There are tremendous efforts to preserve and protect the Ipo River. This river is a very important component of the system that supplies water to Metro Manila. The protection of the Ipo River is a must for the benefit of everyone.
Comments