The agreement, signed by SMC chair and CEO Ramon S. Ang and Governor Marisol “Sol” Aragones, integrates the company’s Better Rivers PH program into the province’s flood-mitigation plan.
“We are grateful to Governor Sol and to all our government partners, for the trust you have given us,” said Ang.
"We will make sure that what we start today will bring lasting change for Laguna and its communities,” he added.
The project will cover dredging and restoration of major rivers in Biñan, Cabuyao, San Pedro, and Sta. Rosa, including their tributaries, to restore natural depth and improve water flow into Laguna de Bay.
Since beginning operations last year, SMC has cleared about 576,991 metric tons of silt and waste from close to 10 kilometers of waterways , all at no cost to government.
Laguna’s provincial government will identify priority areas and oversee proper waste disposal under environmental regulations.
The partnership adds to SMC’s expanding list of local government tie-ups under Better Rivers PH, which has so far removed over 8.6 million metric tons of silt and waste from 166 kilometers of waterways nationwide.
—Edited by Miguel R. Camus
