Pasig City to roll out floating parks after global challenge win

Pasig City is set to begin the full-scale implementation of a pioneering floating parks system along its waterways following its victory in the Bloomberg Philanthropies 2025 Mayors Challenge. 

The project, which recently secured a USD1-million grant and international technical support, aims to transform the Pasig and Marikina Rivers from drainage routes into functional community hubs to address the city’s urgent need for green space and improved service delivery.

By utilizing specialized barges and cantilevered platforms, the city plans to install floating modules that will house recreational areas, health clinics, and public libraries. 

This unconventional approach to urban planning is designed to ease land-based congestion while providing residents in densely populated barangays with immediate access to essential services.

The project’s transition from concept to rollout follows a successful prototyping phase conducted in late 2025. 

During a Prototype Saturday event in September 2025, the city government demonstrated the feasibility of the concept using a repurposed barge equipped with pocket gardens and multipurpose spaces. 

Beyond recreation, the pilot tested critical technical features, including sub-structure cisterns for rainwater collection. Officials noted that these systems would serve a dual purpose by helping to mitigate local flood hazards.

As one of only 24 winners selected from 630 global applicants, Pasig City will now receive specialized operational support to scale the project. 

The USD1-million prize will be supplemented by additional funding for dedicated staff, ensuring that the bold transformation of the city’s core services is both sustainable and technically sound. 

Community involvement remains a cornerstone of the project as the floating parks are being developed through a participatory governance model where residents from the closest barangays helped in planning, construction, managing, and operating the project.