Over the last five years, the food, drinks and infrastructure conglomerate has removed 8.5 million metric tons of waste and silt from 10 key rivers in and around Metro Manila.
“For San Miguel, we cannot afford to just stand by and do nothing because in the end, our economy and all of us, suffer,” SMC chair and CEO Ramon S. Ang said.
“That’s why we’ve been working non-stop these last five years to help clean and restore our rivers,” he added.
Over 160 kilometers of waterways
The cleanup spans over 161 kilometers of river channels, helping reduce flooding, foul odors, and even bringing back aquatic life.
“Because of many contributing and aggravating factors, flooding continues to be a major risk for many of our cities and provinces,” Ang said.
Launched in 2020, the Better Rivers PH program targets rivers like the Tullahan, Pasig, and San Juan, and now reaches Bulacan, Pampanga, Parañaque, and Laguna.
Just last June, SMC completed the cleanup of Tunasan River in Laguna, where over 53,000 tons of debris were removed.
Earlier, it cleared 417,044 tons from the San Isidro River in San Pedro and nearly 88,000 tons from Biñan River.
The work is far from over
“Through cooperation with the national and local governments and other stakeholders, we’ve now managed to increase the carrying capacities of our major rivers,” Ang noted.
“But a lot still needs to be done, including in changing mindsets and discouraging the throwing of wastes in our waterways. We are committed to continue working with stakeholders and doing our part every way we can,” he added.
The river rehabilitation work, fully funded by SMC, is done at no cost to the government or taxpayers. It is aligned with the company’s wider sustainability goals, particularly its push to address urgent water and climate issues.
—Edited by Miguel R. Camus
