Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 21) — After more than two years since it started, San Miguel Corporation on Tuesday said it has reached its target of removing one million tons of waste from Tullahan River ahead of schedule.
As of Monday, an accumulated total of 1,029,257 metric tons of silt and waste were removed from the river, which SMC said is roughly equivalent to close to 70,000 dump trucks.
“Despite the pandemic that delayed and limited our clean-up operations, we were determined to accomplish our objectives, which included removing silt and waste, increasing the river’s width and depth in shallow sections, improving navigability, and helping restore marine line,” SMC President and CEO Ramon Ang said in a press release.
With this development, Ang called on everyone to work together in keeping the river clean and free of garbage.
“We can either go big or take small steps and build on our own individual efforts to manage our consumption and waste generation. What’s important is we start now,” he stressed.
SMC also said the Tullahan river clean-up has already significantly reduced severe flooding in the Camanava area.
Having met its target, the company said it will now move to its next mission of cleaning up the Marilao-Meycauayan-Obando River System in the province of Bulacan.
This initiative will be part of its comprehensive flood mitigation measures for the province, which SMC committed together with its New Manila International Airport (NMIA) and Airport City projects.
“A study commissioned by San Miguel Aerocity Inc., has assessed the impact of the airport development on flooding, and has identified measures to reduce the province’s long-standing flooding problems. It also studied the water flow affecting the airport site and areas within a seven-kilometer radius,” the company said.
“This study, plus our experience and learnings in the past two years in the Tullahan River, as well as our ongoing clean-up of the Pasig River, will be a huge help to our upcoming river rehabilitation effort in Bulacan,” Ang added.
The clean-up is slated to start this month, SMC said, and will also involve the widening and deepening of the Alipit or Taliptip River, Sta. Maria River, and the Meycauayan River.
It added that the rehabilitation plan will improve the rivers’ capacity to carry excess rainwater following the removal of silt, trash, and other obstructions that restrict the free flow of water, and threaten marine ecosystem and traditional fishing grounds.
