San Miguel Corp. to start Pasig River cleanup next month

San Miguel Corporation (SMC) is gearing up to revive the Pasig River by starting a cleanup operation next month. SMC is looking to remove up to 600,000 metric tons of waste per year from the Pasig River.   

The said cleanup operation is part of SMC’s preparation to build the Pasig River Expressway (PAREX), an elevated toll road. PAREX is a 19.4-kilometer, six-lane elevated expressway along the banks of the Pasig River. 

Construction of the Pasig River Expressway (PAREX)

PAREX is expected to improve traffic flow in Rizal, Cainta, and Marikina. It can also serve as an alternate route to Makati, Ortigas, and Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. The construction of PAREX is expected to be completed by 2023.    

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SMC’s Pasig River cleanup operation will be jointly undertaken with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). SMC president Ramon S. Ang said that the company has already completed the initial bathymetric survey of the Pasig River. 

The bathymetric survey is conducted to determining the topography and the underwater characteristics of the Pasig River. The survey was conducted from the Pandacan, Manila area going upstream.   

Pasig River cleanup operation to start next month

Ang shared that the company wants to deliver a strategic and effective approach when it comes to the Pasig River cleanup drive. To do this, SMC will use science and utilize modern technology. The company recently acquired a marine echo sounder, a hydrographic survey equipment that uses sonar to determine the depths of water.  

Other than the survey equipment, SMC has also acquired a Cutter Suction Dredger and 800 metric ton hopper barge capable of removing 50,000 metric tons of silt and solid waste per month, or a total of 600,000 metric tons per year.  

San Miguel Corp. president Ramon S. Ang

“This is a very important environmental effort, and we want to do it right. We want to make sure our plan is strategic and effective. While we will use science and utilize modern technology, this project can only succeed with the cooperation of all stakeholders,” Ang said.

Aside from the bathymetric survey, SMC is planning to conduct a soil test from Manila Bay to Pandacan. SMC has also coordinated with the DPWH to request its consultants to conduct its own hydrographic study and dredging plan.

“I am grateful to our partners in government - DPWH Secretary Mark Villar and DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu - who share our passion to tackle this urgent challenge, even in these particularly trying times. There is nothing we can’t do when we work together,” Ang added. 

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