A few years ago, people avoided passing by the Marikina River because of its unpleasant surrounding and obnoxious smell. The river became a repository of all kinds of wastes thrown wantonly along the riverbanks.

      Today, an average of 3,000 to 5,000 people from all walks of life visit the river park everyday to savor the clean environment and avail of sports and recreational facilities like the five-kilometer marathon jogging/biking lanes, skating rink, the fountains, as well as a cool walk.

      For the residents of Marikina, their river became a source of pride and conviviality. This was the result of the Save the Marikina River program launched by the municipal government to restore the beauty and usefulness of the river and transform it into a tourist spot and the biggest recreational park in Metro Manila.

      To initiate the rehabilitation, the squatters living along the riverbanks were relocated to a better resettlement site. This was followed by the removal of wastes and silt, the construction of access roads and jogging lanes, etc.

      As a result of this transformation, new jobs were created and major investments came in. Collective discipline was imbibed by the young and the old who kept their surroundings clean, including the riverbanks.