In a major push to transform one of the country’s most polluted waterways, the Philippine government has forged a five-year partnership with international environmental organization The Ocean Cleanup to stop plastic waste from flowing through the Pasig River and into Manila Bay.
The agreement marks a significant shift in the country’s battle against marine pollution, combining global technology with local rehabilitation efforts to tackle a problem that has long plagued Metro Manila’s historic river system.
Under the collaboration, Rotterdam-based non-profit The Ocean Cleanup will deploy its signature waste interception technologies in the Pasig River and surrounding waterways. The systems are designed to capture floating plastic and debris before they reach Manila Bay, one of the country’s most ecologically and economically important coastal areas.
Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna described the initiative as a crucial step toward ending the Pasig River’s role as a major conduit of plastic pollution.
“For far too long, the Pasig River has carried the burden of our consumption habits. We cannot allow this river to remain a pipeline of plastic to the ocean,” Cuna said.
The partnership aligns with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s “Pasig Bigyang Buhay Muli” program, which seeks to restore the river into a clean, navigable, and economically vibrant waterway. Beyond environmental rehabilitation, officials see the project as part of a broader urban renewal effort that could help reshape communities along the riverbanks.
A key aspect of the initiative is the integration of technology-driven cleanup efforts with policy reforms already being implemented under the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Act. The law requires large companies to recover and recycle a portion of the plastic packaging they release into the market, creating a two-pronged strategy that addresses both existing waste and future plastic generation.
The Ocean Cleanup has established itself as one of the world’s leading anti-plastic pollution organizations, operating 21 interceptor systems across 10 countries and removing more than 52 million kilograms of waste from rivers and oceans worldwide. For the Philippines, the organization will customize its solar-powered automated systems to handle the heavy waste volume and unique conditions of the Pasig River.
The initiative also places the Philippines at the center of The Ocean Cleanup’s ambitious 30 Cities Program, which aims to expand river cleanup operations across Asia and the Americas by 2030.
Preparatory work is already underway. Nearly 100 potential deployment sites across the Manila Bay watershed have been surveyed, with the first interceptor barrier set to be installed along the Meycauayan River in Bulacan, another waterway known for contributing significant amounts of waste to Manila Bay.
Perhaps more importantly, the project goes beyond simply deploying machines. The agreement includes a comprehensive knowledge-transfer component that will equip the Pasig River Coordinating and Management Office with the technical expertise needed to operate and maintain the systems independently in the future.
“This ensures that local authorities will eventually have the specialized skills and technological know-how to sustain the river’s cleanliness long after the project reaches maturity,” Cuna said.
For The Ocean Cleanup founder and CEO Boyan Slat, the partnership represents a convergence of local commitment and international expertise.
“By combining research, data, and operational experience, we can identify where our Interceptor technology will have the greatest impact and help stop plastic before it reaches Manila Bay and the ocean,” Slat said.
As the government intensifies efforts to rehabilitate the Pasig River, officials believe the partnership could become a model for how cities across the developing world address plastic pollution — not merely by cleaning up waste, but by preventing it from reaching the sea in the first place.
The challenge remains enormous, but for a river long associated with neglect and environmental decline, the initiative signals a new chapter — one that aims to transform the Pasig from a symbol of pollution into a showcase of environmental recovery.