San Miguel Corporation (SMC) is taking flood control seriously at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). Through its “Better Rivers PH” initiative, SMC has removed 93,000 tons of silt and waste from the Parañaque rivers as of January 23.
Flooding has been a recurring nightmare for NAIA and Parañaque residents, especially during the typhoon season. But SMC’s chair and CEO Ramon Ang promised to turn things around.
“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,” stated Ang in a Philippine News Agency report.
The cleanup was done at no cost to the government or taxpayers and covered 1.9 kilometers of waterways, including Parañaque River, Don Galo River, and connecting creeks like San Dionisio and Villanueva.
SMC also tackled the storm drain lines along Domestic Road and NAIA Terminal 4, reopening 54 manholes and adding 10 more to keep floodwaters at bay.
In July 2024, NAIA Terminal 4 was inundated with knee-deep floods, grounding airlines’ ATR planes. Airport authorities pointed out that the culprit was overflow from the Parañaque River, worsened by clogged waterways.
