SMC ramps up Tullahan River cleanup efforts, removes 168,000 MT of silt and trash to date
SAN Miguel Corporation is on track to more than double its daily dredging of silt and trash for its P1-billion Tullahan-Tinajeros river system cleanup project from 600 metric tons per day to 1,500 metric tons per day for the 11.5-km stretch it is working on.
This covers the initial sections 1 to 3 of the project from the mouth of the Manila Bay in Navotas City to Tinajeros Bridge, and sections 4 to 5 from Tinajeros Bridge to Potrero in Malabon and Valenzuela cities.
SMC’s five-year project covers the entire 27-km length of the Tullahan-Tinajeros river system.
SMC is also advancing the start of dredging at the tributary’s Malabon and Valenzuela sections, to boost government’s flood mitigation efforts before the rainy season sets in.
“We were able to average 1,000 metric tons per day last March to deliver our highest monthly dredging total so far. Currently, we are averaging 1,200 metric tons and we will gradually increase to 1,500 metric tons. With the arrival of our new, additional dredging equipment, we will also start dredging Sectors 4 and 5 where heavier flooding was experienced during heavy typhoons last November 2020,” Ang said.
“Work on Sectors 4 and 5 involves more than just dredging to maintain its ideal depth. This part also involves widening parts of the river and removal of illegal structures that restrict the flow of water, especially during heavy rains. This is part of the dredging plan approved by DPWH,” he said.
As of April 13, 2021, Ang said that a total of 168,004 metric tons of silt and solid waste had already been removed from the river.
Last March, the company registered output of 29,555 metric tons, the highest since the project was started with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) last June 2020.
SMC is in the middle of talks with government for the dredging of the Pasig River, as part of its proposal to invest P95.4 billion to build the Pasig River Expressway (PAREX).
Ang said that the company will also subject tributaries belonging
to the Marilao-Meycauayan-Obando River System (MMORS) to river channel improvement.
The Alipit or Taliptip River, Sta. Maria River, and the Meycauayan River will be dredged, cleaned, and widened under the program.