SMC Nears Completion Of Bulacan River Cleanup, Eyes Pampanga River Next

San Miguel Corporation (SMC) is nearing the completion of its massive river cleanup in Bulacan, marking a significant milestone in its “Better Rivers PH” advocacy. 

San Miguel Corporation (SMC) is nearing the completion of its massive river cleanup in Bulacan, marking a significant milestone in its “Better Rivers PH” advocacy. | Photos: SMC

With over 4.2 million tons of silt and waste removed across 74 kilometers of waterways, this project stands as the largest volume of extraction in SMC’s Luzon-wide initiative, which has also covered major rivers in Metro Manila, such as the Pasig, Tullahan, and San Juan rivers.

This extensive effort, which comes at no cost to the government or taxpayers, has been ongoing since 2020 and highlights SMC’s commitment to environmental stewardship.

The Bulacan cleanup, now in its second year, has removed waste from major rivers including the Taliptip-Maycapiz-Bambang, Meycauayan, Marilao, Mailad-Sta. Maria, Guiguinto, Balagtas, Pamarawan, Kalero, and Labangan-Angat rivers.

According to SMC Chairman and CEO Ramon S. Ang, the total volume of waste and silt removed in Bulacan alone is about twice the combined volume extracted from the Pasig and Tullahan rivers.

As the Bulacan project nears its end, SMC is setting its sights on the Pampanga River, expanding its cleanup efforts to this new target, as well as in Biñan, Laguna, and Parañaque City.

Ang emphasized that desilting and clearing obstructions in rivers is crucial to mitigate flooding, a problem that has been exacerbated by factors such as low-lying geography, deforestation, and rising sea levels.

The recent floods brought on by Typhoon Carina highlighted the importance of these efforts.

While many areas experienced severe flooding, Ang pointed out that the situation could have been worse if not for the completed river cleanups, which have increased the carrying capacity of rivers and ensured continuous water flow.

In a parallel initiative, the recent launch of “Bantay Ilog” has introduced new dimensions to river rehabilitation efforts.

Spearheaded by veteran columnist and financial analyst Den Somera, the group is actively pursuing the use of microbial technology, also known as bioremediation, to address the environmental challenges facing rivers, creeks, and other water bodies in the Philippines.

Bioremediation harnesses the power of microorganisms and their enzymes to degrade contaminants in water, soil, and air, transforming much of the waste into harmless compounds like carbon dioxide and water.

This innovative technology holds immense potential to revolutionize wastewater treatment, restore polluted rivers, and remediate oil spills, such as the MT Terra Nova incident off the coast of Bataan on July 25, where 1.4 million liters of oil were at risk.

The “Bantay Ilog” initiative, in partnership with Advanced Bio System (ABS) of the US, a company with a proven track record in industrial, municipal, and commercial waste treatment, aims to provide cost-effective solutions for sewage and wastewater treatment, landfill leachate management, and river aeration systems.

The program is set to tackle some of the most polluted rivers in the country, including the Marilao-Meycauayan-Obando River system, which is listed among the top 20 dirtiest rivers in the world by the World Health Organization.

As SMC prepares to take on the Pampanga River, the combination of large-scale cleanups and innovative microbial technology holds promise for the future of river rehabilitation in the Philippines.

These efforts underscore the importance of corporate responsibility and technological innovation in addressing the environmental challenges that have been building up over generations.