“Caring for the environment is integral to sustainable development”
TRAVERSING Paranaque and Pasay, cities that host the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, is the storied Paranaque River. Considered a major channel, it is one of the 17 principal river systems that drain into Manila Bay.
During continuous rain or heavy downpour, Paranaque and surrounding areas including the Ninoy Aquino International Airport experience flooding. Motorists and airport-bound passengers have to bear with heavy traffic.
In an effort to improve water flow and address perennial flooding at Ninoy Aquino International Airport and surrounding areas, San Miguel Corporation, through its Better Rivers PH initiative, cleaned up Paranaque’s waterways.
Aside from the Paranaque River, the cleanup included Don Galo River, and their junctions with the San Dionisio and Villanueva creeks. It covered 1.9 kilometers of river channels.
As of Jan. 23, 2025, SMC reported 93,000 tons of silt and waste from Paranaque rivers were removed.
SMC also de-clogged storm drain lines along Domestic Road and NAIA Terminal 4. This included reopening 54 manholes and constructing 10 new ones for better access and maintenance. These upgrades are seen to sustain flood prevention efforts around the airport complex.
The flood mitigation effort of SMC complements the rehabilitation of NAIA undertaken by SMC subsidiary New NAIA Infra Corp.
SMC Chairman and CEO Ramon S. Ang noted that flooding has been a long-standing issue for Paranaque and NAIA particularly during typhoon season.
“Through Better Rivers PH and with support from government agencies, we were able to implement sustainable solutions that we hope will deliver lasting benefits to residents, businesses, and travelers,” RSA said.
River cleanup activities are conducted by SMC at no cost to the government.
Beneficiaries of the SMC initiative include Pasig River, Tullahan River, San Juan River, Pampanga River, among others, and waterways in Laguna.
Since 2020, SMC’s Better Rivers PH has removed over 8 million tons of silt and waste from 156 kilometers of rivers.
For the cleanup of the waterways in Paranaque, bathymetric surveys were conducted to identify areas that restricted water flow into the Manila Bay.
The desilting of Paranaque rivers was conducted in collaboration with the Department of Transportation, Department of public Works and Highways, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the local government of Paranaque under the leadership of Mayor Eric Olivarez.
The city government of Paranaque has programs to promote environment protection as well as on flood control and prevention.
Even with its programs in place, the local government needs the cooperation of its constituents.
In his speech before city government officials and employees during the Jan. 13, 2025 flag ceremony, Olivarez exhorted every one not to throw their garbage on the streets or into the rivers.
Paranaque is ranked one of the top local government units in national standards set for the rehabilitation of Manila Bay.
It garnered 2nd place in the 2023 Manila Bay Clean-Up, Rehabilitation, And Preservation Program Local Government Units Regional Compliance Assessment.
It is also recognized as top performing SWM Cluster Local Government Units Regional Compliance Assessment.
It was on Dec. 18, 2008, when the Supreme Court issued SC Mandamus on Manila Bay (G.R. 171947-48), which directed 13 government agencies to clean up, rehabilitate, and preserve Manila Bay, and restore and maintain its waters to SB level to make them fit for swimming, skin-diving, and other forms of contact recreation.
Paranaque is also an active partner in protecting the Las Pinas-Paranaque Wetland Park or the Las Pinas-Paranaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area through coastal cleanup.
In line with its greening program, trees are planted in available spaces in the center islands, major thoroughfares, secondary roads, and subdivisions.
The city, which has a Mterial Recovery Facility, adheres to zero waste management.
As Executive Director of Million Trees Foundation, Inc., I am pleased to know the city of Paranaque is relentless in its tree planting and environment protection activities. We look forward to collaborating with the city in one of our tree-planting activities.
Meanwhile, San Miguel Corporation through RSA has been MTFI’s institutional partner since its establishment. Its annual endowment has financed many of MTFI projects.
Like MTFI, SMC has continuously endeavored to support the National Green Program of the national government through its various tree-planting programs in its different subsidiaries, aside from its involvement in mangrove restoration.
Let us be team players in protecting and nurturing our environment. Caring for the environment is integral to sustainable development.
(MTV, book author/publisher, is president and chief executive officer of Media Touchstone Ventures, Inc. and the president/executive director of the Million Trees Foundation Inc., a non-government outfit advocating tree-planting and environmental protection.)