“An advocate for environment conservation and protection, Ang has been giving unsolicited advice to the government on how to mitigate flooding”
I HAVE no doubt 2025 will be another banner year for San Miguel Corporation.
One of the oldest homegrown companies that witnessed the transformation of a former Spanish colony to become an independent nation, SMC has been and continues to be a partner in nation building.
Its leadership has steered the former one-product business to become a diversified conglomerate whose portfolio include infrastructure, fuel and oil, energy, packaging, and of course, food and beverage.
The corporation also has investments in cement, car distributorship, property development and leasing, as well as banking. Its growth became very visible under the stewardship of SMC Chairman and CEO Ramon S. Ang.
The country has witnessed how the SMC businesses have made the lives of many Filipinos better—from its consumer products to the road networks and transportation infrastructure projects—providing nutritious food, livelihood opportunities and ease in movement of people, goods and services.
The rehabilitation of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to make it at par with the best airports in the world is on track and will greatly enhance the country’s campaign to become a destination of choice among foreign travelers.
The ongoing MRT 7 promises to ease and cut travel time from Bulacan to the southern part of Metro Manila even as the Skyway System being operated by SMC is already providing ease of travel from Luzon’s southern to northern provinces.
Meanwhile, SMC businesses continue to grow. One of its subsidiaries, San Miguel Food and Beverage, Inc. has reported that for the first nine months of the year, its consolidated net income increased by 11 percent spurred by its food, beer and spirits’ robust performances.
This growth demonstrated the effectiveness of the corporation’s strategy to grow across multiple segments and markets.
“We will continue to strengthen our supply chain, improve productivity, and expand capacity to capture more opportunities and deliver long-term value for our consumers and shareholders,” RSA was quoted.
The performance of SMC has not gone unnoticed. Over the years, it has reaped rewards and recognitions from different award-giving organizations. This year, it is ranked 9th in the 2025 Fortune Southeast Asia 500, a list of the largest companies by revenues in the region. RSA has said the recognition inspires SMC to keep raising the bar.
“This is a reflection not just of our financial performance, but of our commitment to nation-building and to supporting communities wherever we operate. Our real success is measured by the livelihoods we help sustain, the access we create, and the opportunities we open for Filipinos,” he said.
It was also ranked by Statista as one of the Philippines’ Best Employers 2025 and recognized as one of the Best Companies of 2025 for Asia-Pacific Region by Time magazine.
San Miguel Corporation once again proved it is one of the best employers in the country and in the world after landing at No. 42 among 900 companies in Forbes World’s Best Employers 2025. Eight other Filipino companies were included in the list.
However, only SMC made it in the top 50 best employers as the next best Filipino employer ranked at 139th. It is worth noting that SMC has been consecutively included in the Forbes Magazine World’s Best Employers list in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
SMC subsidiary Northern Cement Corporation (NCC) was also recognized at the Asian Water Awards 2025 for its large-scale water savings through a rainwater harvesting system, and advanced wastewater recycling facilities. It garnered the Water Conservation Initiative of the Year award.
NCC’s water savings was generated with the use of its Rainwater Harvesting Pond, and advanced wastewater treatment facility at its Pangasinan operations.
This is just one of the initiatives of SMC across all subsidiaries to bring harmony and balance between the need to harness natural resources to create wealth and the need to protect and sustain natural resources. SMC is also involved in regreening the country through its several tree-planting programs.
Lately, RSA has been very visible amid the backdrop of the failed flood control program of government. SMC has contributed much to the desilting and rehabilitation of several rivers in Luzon at no cost to the government.
An advocate for environment conservation and protection, Ang has been giving unsolicited advice to the government on how to mitigate flooding.
Time and again, RSA has articulated that the burden of development will have to be shared by everyone—not only by the business sector and government—as all benefits redound to all.
As citizens, we can do our share starting with properly disposing of our garbage.
Let us be useful and effective partners in nation building.
(The writer, president/chief executive officer of Media Touchstone Ventures, Inc. and president/executive director of the Million Trees Foundation Inc., a non-government outfit advocating tree-planting and environmental protection, is the official biographer of President Fidel V. Ramos.)
