Manila: What used to be unused riverbanks lined with informal structures are now becoming walkable parks, shaded pathways, and community public spaces through the efforts of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to expand its river easement recovery program.
According to Philippines News Agency, the River Easement Area Recovery initiative is part of a broader push to combine environmental rehabilitation with community infrastructure, transforming underutilized river easements into 'safe, accessible, and environmentally sustainable public space'.
At separate site inaugurations in Bataan and Pampanga, Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna highlighted how cleared river easements are being repurposed into linear parks meant not only to restore waterways but also to provide communities with usable public space. In Bataan, he led the turnover of a 290-meter linear park called 'Disiplina Park' along a riverside easement in Barangay Bagumbayan, which features a landscaped riverside corridor with vegetation, lighting, and open walkways.
Acknowledging that the process involved relocating families previously living along the easement area, Cuna explained that this was a necessary process to restore the river's buffer and reduce risk exposure. Cuna shared that, based on his conversations with some people who were relocated, their situation has improved and they have found jobs. He also acknowledged the efforts of the provincial and local governments, as well as the residents.
The Bataan linear park, equipped with solar streetlights, now serves as a recreational strip for residents. It was also planted with 1,200 trees, including bamboo, ornamental shrubs, and palm trees for erosion control and shade, while offering a place to walk, exercise, and spend time with family and neighbors.
The DENR said the underutilized riverside easement along the Caliano River in Sasmuan, Pampanga, also had a similar transformation. Cuna said the Sasmuan project would bring environmental services closer to communities while improving local quality of life. From the once bare and unsafe river easement, the reclaimed area can now be used by the people as a daily recreational space.
The Sasmuan Linear Park in Sta. Lucia, completed in the second quarter of 2025, features a concrete pathway, tables and chairs, a pavilion, a comfort room, a storage and staff room, and a steel fence with a 'Welcome' arch. The DENR said the development promotes riverbank rehabilitation, environmental protection, and the sustainable use of the riverside area for public recreation and community activities.
Both the Bataan and Sasmuan Linear Parks were developed under the Manila Bay rehabilitation program, which covers the National Capital Region, Central Luzon, and Calabarzon. The initiative focuses on river easement recovery, wastewater management, and solid waste reduction to improve the water quality entering Manila Bay. During the turnover, Cuna stressed that sustaining the program's gains will depend heavily on local participation.
