Diversified Asian conglomerate San Miguel Corp.’s (SMC) river cleanup initiative at the Pasig and Tullahan rivers, both major tributaries crucial to the rehabilitation of the Manila Bay, have exceeded initial targets even as it prepares to ramp up efforts in the coming months with the easing of quarantine restrictions. SMC president Ramon S. Ang said the company will aim to steadily increase the daily extraction output from the two rivers. This is in anticipation of potential monsoon rains that usually cause heavy floods in Metro Manila cities near the 27-kilometer Pasig River, and the cities of Navotas, Malabon, Valenzuela and Caloocan alongside the 27-kilometer Tullahan River. Both rivers empty out to the Manila Bay and were included in the list of the world’s top 10 rivers that pollute the oceans with plastic waste, according to a report by research website Ourworldindata.org early this year.

River clearing goes high gear. (2021, November 9). Daily Tribune, p. B11.