THE Philippines’ Department of Finance (DoF) is seeking presidential authority to negotiate a proposed $20-million grant from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) intended to help reduce the volume of waste entering the Pasig River system.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the DoF said it has endorsed the proposed assistance, valued at about P1.2 billion, to the Office of the President in support of the Pasig River Restoration Project.

“We thank the government of the United Arab Emirates for extending its hand in partnership with us to rehabilitate one of our country’s vital waterways,” Finance Secretary Frederick D. Go said.

“The proposed assistance would strengthen waste management efforts and help improve the quality of life of our people,” he added.

Unlike loans, grants do not require repayment, the DoF noted. For the Philippine government, that means the proposed support would come with no repayment obligations.

Under the proposal, the project aims to cut plastic and organic waste entering the Pasig River system by 25% over five years. Its scope covers waste recovery and interception; household waste segregation and collection; capacity-building and support for informal waste collectors; improved waste processing and recovery; and stronger enforcement against illegal dumping.

“The DoF is seeking the necessary authority to negotiate the proposed agreement, including its terms and conditions,” the department said. “Once authorized, the department will facilitate negotiations with the UAE government in coordination with concerned government agencies,” it added.

The Pasig River, which runs roughly 25 kilometers through Metro Manila from Laguna de Bay to Manila Bay, has long ranked among the world’s most polluted waterways after decades of industrial and household waste discharge, and it has been widely regarded as biologically dead. International studies have also identified it among the rivers that carry some of the largest volumes of plastic waste into the world’s oceans, placing river rehabilitation high on the Philippine government’s environmental agenda.

The proposed UAE assistance also reflects deepening ties between Manila and Abu Dhabi, which have expanded cooperation in recent years across labor, trade, and investment. The UAE hosts one of the largest overseas Filipino worker communities in the world, and the two governments have broadened bilateral engagement across multiple sectors.

The next milestones to watch are action by the Office of the President on the requested negotiating authority and, once talks begin, the terms and conditions the two governments settle on for the grant.

— Justine Irish D. Tabile