San Miguel Corp. has restarted major river cleanups in Bulacan, shifting to maintenance dredging after a two-year campaign that removed more than 4.15 million metric tons of silt and waste from 74 kilometers of waterways at no cost to government.
San Miguel Corp. (SMC) has launched a large-scale river cleanup and restoration program in Laguna, pledging to fund the entire operation at no cost to government as part of its flood-reduction efforts.
Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), in partnership with the Philippine Coast Guard Maritime Security and Law Enforcement Command (PCG MARSLEC), marked a milestone in disaster preparedness, environmental sustainability, and community resilience through its first-ever River Clean-Up Drive held at the Mexico Plaza Ferry Station in Intramuros.
An investigation showed the river had become heavily silted and constricted, preventing rainwater from flowing properly. Some sections were further narrowed by informal structures and newly built sheet piles, which SMC crews have since dismantled.
In a statement on Jan. 7, 2025, the conglomerate said this initiative, conducted under its “Better Rivers PH” program, removed nearly 700,000 tons of silt and waste from the river, spanning 26.3 kilometers.