Winner: Pasig River (Philippines)
The Pasig River was declared biologically dead in the 1990s due to persistent pollution caused by population growth and industrial development along its riverbanks. However the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission (PRRC) and its partners river restoration and management efforts have effectively brought the Pasig River back to life. These efforts have included delivering quality projects, programs, activities, and advocacies in easement recovery, riverbank development, waste and water quality management, and public awareness.
From 1999 to 2018, PRRC have resettles 18,719 families along the riverbanks to decent homes, dismantled 376 encroaching private structures, established 37,471.68 linear metres of environmental preservation areas, developed 17 of its 47 identified tributaries, diverted almost 22,000 kilograms of solid waste, and transformed communities into environmentally-responsible citizens. This has resulted in significant water quality improvement, as well as the revitalisation and development of the Pasig River system.
