SMC removes over 1 million tons of waste from Pasig, Tullahan rivers

San Miguel Corporation (SMC) reported that its cleanup and rehabilitation program for the Tullahan and Pasig Rivers has made considerable progress since it started in 2020.

The Pasig and Tullahan river cleanup operation is going strong

With a budget of Php 2 billion, the company has removed a total of 1,221,206 metric tons of waste from the two rivers so far. The cleanup team has been extracting at least 3,000 metric tons of waste per day, with plans to ramp the number up to 5,000 metric tons per day once additional equipment arrives this June.

Recent hydrographic surveys show that the cleanup projects have yielded significant improvement in both depth and carrying capacity for the two waterways. This means that residents living near them can not only expect cleaner rivers as compared to previous years, but are also likely to experience less flooding.

“Essentially, what we’ve accomplished is to remove the silt and wastes that have made these rivers shallow and increase their ability to receive water from upstream channels, particularly during heavy rain or typhoon season, which is when severe flooding in many areas in Metro Manila occur,” said SMC President and CEO Ramon S. Ang.

Less flooding is expected with the improved capacity of the rivers

The cleanup operation is vital in the construction of SMC’s privately-funded road network called the Pasig River Expressway (PAREX). It aims to provide a direct link between the western and eastern cities of Metro Manila. Also, the expressway will be built with various road components to allow bicycles and pedestrians to use it.

In addition, SMC is glad that more volunteers including students are joining the cleanup activities it organized in Batangas Province and Navotas City. The company is pleased that students get a sense of environmental awareness at a young age.

“As majority of the population is now protected against the virus and restrictions easing, we expect our cleanup efforts for both in our rivers and coastal areas to go a notch higher with more volunteers and more equipment arriving in the coming months,” concluded Ang.

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