THE Pasig River Expressway (Parex), a proposed project of San Miguel Infrastructure, is a 19.4-kilometer, six-lane elevated expressway to be constructed directly above the Pasig River, with its piles or pillars embedded into the riverbed.
Why is Parex still a “live” project of the government and San Miguel Corp. (SMC), despite the project’s numerous defects, negative impacts and hazards? Surely, its continuing existence tarnishes the reputation and credibility of our public institutions and SMC.
From the time the project was proposed by San Miguel Infrastructure in 2021, experts in different fields — culture and heritage advocates, urban and transport planners, health specialists, architects, environment experts and various scientists — have opposed Parex. The consensus was that the project is seriously flawed and should not proceed.
In fact, one struggles to find any reputable professional who publicly supports the project, except those paid by SMC. It also speaks volumes that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has not approved the Environmental Compliance Certificate for the project after over five years. This means there is a lot that is wrong about the project.
SMC claims that Parex will solve traffic. In reality, it will cause huge traffic jams. The roads along the Pasig River are mostly narrow. A scenario is that if Parex funnels cars into these narrow streets, the neighborhoods along the river will end up heavily congested. With thousands of cars stuck in traffic above and below the proposed road, there will be more noise, heat, traffic and pollution affecting the communities, with negative impacts on the health of local residents.
In the most desirable cities around the world, urban waterways are developed into parks and green, open space — offering corridors for cool, fresh air to circulate, as well as places for leisure, recreation and social activity.
River corridors are valuable assets that need to be protected, preserved and developed into community public space. One of the flagship projects of the Marcos Jr. administration is the Pasig River Esplanade, which will offer convenient access to the historic districts of Binondo and Intramuros, and pedestrian and cycling pathways to business and residential districts along the entire length of the Pasig River.
The first 2 kilometers of the Pasig River Esplanade — connecting Intramuros to the Manila Arroceros Urban Forest Park — is one of the must-visit places in Metro Manila. But only for as long as the Pasig River can be spared the destructive impact of Parex.
Plunking a six-lane expressway in the middle of the Pasig River will destroy its potential for leisure, tourism and recreation by introducing a permanent eyesore and a continuous source of noise, heat and pollution that will ruin any natural charm or allure that the river could offer.
Impact
And then there is the impact on disaster risk and preparedness. The proposed Parex, almost 20 kilometers in length, will be standing on 300-400 piers or pilings implanted into the riverbed of the Pasig. All it takes is for one pier to weaken and buckle during a flood or earthquake, and the chain reaction would result in the collapse of multiple sections or even the entire structure, making the Pasig River impassable by any type of vessel.
Moreover, because Parex is designed to be built above existing bridges, a collapse will likely damage those bridges and obstruct travel between the northern and southern sections of Metro Manila.
On May 15, 2025, I attended a presentation on Parex by Mahar Lagmay, director of the University of the Philippines-Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (UP-NOAH) and executive director of the UP Resilience Institute. His conclusion was that the numerous foundation piles or pillars would cause a narrowing of the river, impeding its natural flow and drainage function. This would exacerbate flooding in upstream communities, especially in the flood-prone areas around Laguna Lake.
Also to be affected are the communities along rivers and tributaries that drain into the Pasig. These serious environmental impacts were not included in the project’s environmental analysis. Affected upstream communities may not have been consulted in its preparation.
Confronted with a project associated with much economic, social and environmental damage and increased disaster risk, far outweighing any possible benefit, why is the Office of the President, the Cabinet, the Toll Regulatory Board and the SMC board unable to withdraw or cancel it? In these bleak times, when the country desperately needs some “wins,” simply junking Parex would be a morale booster.
Robert Y. Siy is a development economist, city and regional planner, and public transport advocate. He is co-convenor of the Move As One Coalition. He can be reached at mobilitymatters.ph@yahoo.com or followed on X @RobertRsiy.
