San Miguel Corporation (SMC) said Thursday its river cleanup program has removed more than 9.12 million metric tons of silt, garbage, and debris from major waterways across the Philippines since 2020. The work is part of its voluntary flood-control effort, called the Better Rivers PH initiative, and is being done at no cost to the government.
SMC continues maintenance work to keep rivers clear and improve their ability to carry floodwater, especially in low-lying communities. The company says recent operations removed over 1.04 million metric tons of waste from four river systems under the government’s Oplan Kontra Baha program, covering about 24.29 kilometers of waterways in Bulacan, Laguna, Manila, and nearby areas.
Since the program began, SMC has worked on 10 major river systems, including the Pasig, Pampanga, Tullahan, San Juan, Navotas, Bulacan, and Laguna rivers, cleaning a total of 188.48 kilometers of waterways.
Key recent cleanup results:
Bulacan River System: 710,168 metric tons removed (largest volume)
Tullahan River: 144,324 metric tons cleared across Metro Manila cities
San Juan River: 83,289 metric tons removed, plus support for clearing a blocked pumping station area
Laguna rivers: 107,192 metric tons removed
Other areas: Cleanup also ongoing in Parañaque, Las Piñas, Navotas, and other parts of Laguna and Bulacan
SMC says these are maintenance efforts to prevent rivers from getting clogged again after earlier cleanups improved their depth and flow.
SMC Chairman and CEO Ramon S. Ang said continued maintenance is needed to protect earlier progress and reduce flooding risks.
He also urged the public to help by properly disposing of waste and practicing waste segregation, saying clogged canals and rivers worsen flooding during heavy rains.
