Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 12) — San Miguel Corporation has set aside P1 billion for the Pasig River cleanup project slated to start this month.
“San Miguel Corporation (SMC) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will commence the cleanup of the Pasig River before the end of May as the company commits to spend P1 billion for the initiative the boldest and most recent attempt at reviving the biologically inactive river,” the company said in a statement on Wednesday.
READ: Pasig River cleanup to start in May
SMC President and CEO Ramon S. Ang said restoration of the river system would balance the needs of the economy and the environment.
For the Pasig River rehabilitation project, San Miguel is looking to extract some 50,000 metric tons of silt and waste every month, or a total of 600,000 metric tons per year from the river.
The Pasig River project is an initiative similar to another SMC project started last year: the cleanup of the 27-kilometer Tullahan-Tinajeros River system.
“Like traffic, congestion, and smog, pollution of our bodies of water is one of the many issues that have made life difficult and less than ideal for all of us these past couple of decades,” Ang said.
“While many of us may not immediately notice it, we are paying a big price for these compounding problems,” he stressed. “Our advocacy is to take action and undo some of the damage and rescue and rehabilitate our rivers.”
The diversified conglomerate has also announced plans to dredge the Meycauayan River as part of its environment and flood mitigation program for Bulacan province.
