San Miguel Corp. (SMC) President and CEO Ramon Ang has unveiled a plan to address the severe flooding experienced by residents in the provinces of Pampanga and Bulacan. At a meeting held at the company’s headquarters, Ang explained that the flooding was not caused by SMC’s massive airport project along Bulacan’s Manila Bay shoreline, as some local officials had claimed. Rather, the real problem, according to Ang, is the siltation of the rivers in Pampanga and Bulacan, which has reduced their carrying capacity for water.
To mitigate the flooding, Ang announced that San Miguel Corp. will take on the responsibility of dredging the rivers and clearing the waterways in both provinces, even if it is technically the government’s responsibility. This is an expensive undertaking, but Ang believes it is a good use of the company’s resources. In the past three years, San Miguel has already invested P3 billion in dredging and cleaning up rivers in Metro Manila, removing almost two million tons of solid waste and silt. This effort will now be duplicated in Pampanga and Bulacan to prevent future flooding.
Despite the cost, San Miguel Corp. has the financial resources to support such projects. As the country’s largest conglomerate, it generated sales of P1.5 trillion last year and is expected to reach the same figure in 2024. The company is also responsible for almost 7 percent of the Philippines’ economic output and is the country’s largest taxpayer.
In addition to the flood mitigation efforts, San Miguel Corp. is also undertaking other major infrastructure projects, including the construction of a four-runway airport in Bulacan and a commuter rail system connecting Quezon City to Bulacan. These projects demonstrate the company’s commitment to improving the lives of people in the surrounding communities.
Ang emphasized that even though it is not directly their responsibility, San Miguel Corp. is willing to invest in flood mitigation for the benefit of the country. He believes that the P3 billion cost is a small price to pay for better lives and the prevention of future flooding.
