NATURAL FLOW OF WATERWAY RESTORED. A total of 87,899 tons of silt and solid waste have been removed from the 3.2 kilometers Biñan River, restoring the depth, width and natural flow of the waterway draining out to Laguna Lake.
SMC finishes Biñan River cleanup; 88K tons of silt, waste removed
SAN Miguel Corporation (SMC) has successfully delivered on its promise to clean up Laguna’s Biñan River in less than a year, freeing up the clogged waterway of nearly 88,000 tons of silt and solid waste that had long worsened flooding in the city of Biñan.
Completing the massive task in less than seven months, SMC’s Better Rivers PH initiative covered a 3.2-kilometer stretch of the river from the mouth of Laguna Lake near Bgy. Dela Paz to downtown Bgy. Poblacion — where hundreds of families had long been tormented by lingering floodwaters during the typhoon season.
“Dati po matagal bago humupa ang baha. Nitong Pasko (December 2024), may malakas na ulan pero hindi na umakyat ang tubig dito. ‘Yung ilang lugar na binaha, mabilis nang bumababa ang tubig,” recalled Herminigildo Aguilar, 64, a kagawad in Bgy. Poblacion.
“Maluwag na ang ilog, mas mabilis nang umaagos ang tubig,” he added.
Since 2020, SMC’s Better Rivers PH program has been moving from one river system to another, restoring the natural depth and breadth of river channels in Metro Manila and Luzon at zero-cost to government.
“I am very happy that our river cleanup initiative marked another achievement in Laguna, through the help and cooperation of the local government and our other partners,” said SMC chairman and CEO Ramon S. Ang.
“I ask all our kababayans to please help take care of our rivers because they are critical to our health and the health of our environment, economy, and communities. The job of making our rivers better is not just the government’s or the private sector’s responsibility. What happens to our rivers affects us all, so we all have a role to play,” Ang said.
