ANG-led conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) has removed 6 million metric tons (MMT) of silt and solid waste from various river systems under its cleanup project.
The total includes over 3 MMT of silt and solid waste removed from over 50 kilometers (km) of rivers traversing Meycauayan, Obando, Bulakan, Bocaue, Marilao, Balagtas and Guiguinto in Bulacan, SMC said in a statement over the weekend.
SMC also removed nearly 1.2 MMT of waste from 26 kilometers of the Pasig River; 1.1 MMT from 11 km of the Tullahan River, and almost 320,000 MT from the San Juan river, from 2020 to date.
“After four years of continuous effort, we are as determined and committed as ever to continue this advocacy, that has had a positive impact on people, local economies, and our environment,” SMC President and Chief Executive Officer Ramon S. Ang said.
“We are also very proud of the hard work and dedication of our river cleanup teams. Their commitment to our advocacy and to the communities, has resulted in the removal of over 6 million tons of wastes and silt to date and covered close to 100 kilometers of river channel from the Pasig River, Tullahan River, San Juan River, Bulacan rivers, and San Pedro river — with more to come,” he added.
In October last year, SMC launched its expanded river cleanup initiative in Bulacan and other areas including Pampanga, Navotas, Laguna and Cavite, in partnership with various government agencies.
The company’s cleaning efforts in San Isidro River, San Pedro, Laguna has since yielded 343,836 tons of silt and wastes, to date.
Meanwhile, SMC said it also planning to clean 26 km of the Pampanga River that also flows down to Bulacan. The river has been identified as a major cause of flooding in both provinces and other nearby areas.
The company said the rivers in Bulacan province that have been cleared of silt and waste include the Taliptip-Maycapiz-Bambang rivers, with a length of 10 km; Meycauayan river from Manila Bay up to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) at 12 km; and Mailad to Bocaue/Sta. Maria River at 8.5 km.
Also cleared by the company were Guiguinto River up to NLEX at 9.6 km; Marilao River, also upstream to NLEX at 4.8 km; and Balagtas River at 2.5 km.
SMC said that clean-up is also ongoing in Pamarawan river in Malolos, which is also the site of the company’s 40-hectare biodiversity area for migratory shorebirds where the initiative has so far covered 1.8 km of the total 8.9 km.
The company has major investments in Bulacan such as the Metro Rail Transit Line 7, the Bulacan Bulk Water Supply project, and the new Manila International Airport project.
Shares of SMC were last traded on April 26 at P106 apiece. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave
