UAE, Philippines forge partnership to rehabilitate Pasig River

The UAE and the Philippines have partnered to revitalise the Pasig River, a key waterway in Manila.

The collaboration, under the banner of Erth Zayed Philanthropies, will focus on both preventative and corrective measures to rehabilitate the river while creating socio-economic opportunities for local communities.

The signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) took place on the sidelines of the World Governments Summit in Dubai, with First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos of the Philippines and Saeed Rashid Al Zaabi, Advisor to the Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Fallen Heroes' Affairs, present.

The MoU was signed by Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga, Secretary of the Philippines Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and Abdullah Al Qubaisi, Managing Director at Clean Rivers.

Clean Rivers, a global non-profit organisation under Erth Zayed Philanthropies, is committing up to $20 million to support initiatives aimed at improving the quality of life for communities dependent on the river and restoring the waterway.

This initiative aligns with the Philippines' National Plan of Action for the Prevention, Reduction and Management of Marine Litter, aiming to reduce marine litter by 50% by 2030 and achieve zero waste to Philippine waters by 2040.

Once a vital economic and ecological resource, the Pasig River has faced significant degradation due to urbanisation, industrialisation and waste mismanagement.

Since its launch in 2023, Clean Rivers has focused on turning polluted river systems into engines for sustainable development, while empowering local communities.

This partnership is part of Erth Zayed Philanthropies’ broader mission to drive global progress and honour the legacy of the UAE’s Founding Father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, by creating lasting impacts through cross-sector initiatives.