SMC eyes revival of Pasig River cleanup project

MANILA, Philippines — San Miguel Corp. (SMC) plans to clean up and improve the flow of water throughout the entire length of Pasig River as part of the P95.4-billion Pasig River Expressway (PAREX) project.

SMC president and COO Ramon Ang said the project would solve Metro Manila traffic with minimal disruption on existing cities and roads, as well as clean up and improve the flow of water throughout the entire length of the Pasig River.

“Of all the projects we have done, this will perhaps be among the most challenging, and at the same time, the most fulfilling. Not only we will be building a much-needed direct link between eastern and western Metro Manila, but we will also be leading a historic effort to bring the Pasig River back to health,” Ang said in a statement.

To build the 19.4-kilometer, six-lane elevated expressway along the banks of the river, Ang said the riverbed has to be dredged and cleared of debris and garbage to attain its optimum depth and ensure the constant flow of water.

He said this would also help address flooding in Metro Manila.

“For so many decades, even when I was young, the Pasig River had been synonymous to pollution. Many Filipinos have long wanted to clean it and revive it, bring it back to its old glory. There were even high-profile fundraising projects and similar initiatives to clean it. But unfortunately, not much has changed,” Ang said.

SMC is not new to large-scale river cleanups, having started a P1-billion corporate social responsibility initiative early this year to clean up the Tullahan-Tinajeros River system.

In just over two months, the company  had extracted 20,000 cubic meters or 2,150 truck-loads of silt and garbage from a 5.25-km stretch of the river from Malabon to Navotas, which constitutes the first phase of the project.

SMC has been removing some 600 tons of solid waste from the river every day.

The proposed project to build an expressway along Pasig River is currently under government review.

The project, which will start from Radial Road 10 in Manila and end at a connection to the South East Metro Manila Expressway, is expected to reduce travel time from Manila to Rizal to just 15 minutes.

From R10, or the Manila port area, it will have entry and exit points at the University Belt area, San Juan, Buendia, Mandaluyong, Makati, Rockwell, EDSA, Pioneer St., Bonifacio Global City, C5, before terminating at C6.

PAREX is seen to provide an alternative and faster access to the country’s largest business districts like Makati, Ortigas and BGC.