Laguna Teams with San Miguel Corporation to Launch Major Flood-Control and River-Dredging Effort

MILESTONES

In a significant move to protect communities from persistent flooding, the provincial government of Laguna has signed a celebrated partnership with one of the country’s largest industrial conglomerates. On Friday, November 7, 2025, the province’s governor, Sol Aragones, and San Miguel Corporation (SMC) President Ramon Ang formalized a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to undertake a large-scale dredging and flood-control initiative across Laguna.

LAGUNA DREDGING PROJECT. Laguna Governor Sol Aragones and San Miguel Corporation (SMC) President Ramon Ang shake hands after officially signing a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, at the provincial capitol to kick off a joint flood control and dredging project across the province. SMC said the project’s goal is not only to remove silt and debris but also to restore the natural flow of waterways affected by pollution and land encroachment. (Photo courtesy of Laguna PIO)

According to a provincial information release, the initiative places no financial burden on the provincial government. As the designated implementing partner, SMC will carry out dredging operations and clean-up of waterways in targeted zones, including rivers that have suffered from siltation, pollution, and illegal encroachment.

The Governor emphasized how this collaboration offers much-needed relief for those living in flood-prone areas of Laguna: This joint effort will ease the anxieties of our residents who have lived for years under the threat of flooding, according to Aragones, noting that the initiative reflects a significant step in safeguarding local communities.

SMC President Ang highlighted the dual-nature of the mission: not just removing debris and accumulated silt, but also restoring the natural flow of waterways compromised by man-made factors. Ang, on the other hand, hopes that the cleanup will have reached its fruition within one year, urging local government units to collaborate and sustain the efforts, particularly through obtaining and maintaining equipment such as barges and backhoes for ongoing river-maintenance work.

Beyond the technical clean-up, the project is also a civic-mobilization effort. Ang appealed to the public to desist from dumping trash into rivers, pointing out that the dredging can only do so much if dumping and encroachment continue. Meanwhile, the provincial information officer, Danilo Lucas, said SMC has already submitted a comprehensive map identifying rivers throughout Laguna that will be dredged and continuously maintained.

The significance of this MOA cannot be overstated: for a province where many communities face recurrent flooding, the assurance of a concrete, government-private sector partnership offers both hope and a blueprint for similar undertakings elsewhere. The fact that the provincial government bears no cost strengthens the model’s viability and attractiveness. With the signing of the MOA and the start of dredging operations, we can expect lasting relief for thousands of residents and communities vulnerable to heavy flooding.

For SMC, the project aligns with its broader social and environmental commitments—an acknowledgment of its role in infrastructure, manufacturing, and community engagement in the Philippines. For Laguna, it underscores a shift from reactive flood-response to proactive river-system management. In the past, many anti-flood interventions have been piecemeal; this agreement signals coordinated action at scale.

The MOA also signals an implicit recognition of the root causes of flooding: silt build-up, debris, land-use violations, pollution and blocked waterways. The work ahead will require not just the physical dredging and equipment maintenance but also stronger enforcement of environmental laws, public education to curb illegal dumping, and the consistent participation of local government units. Governor Aragones stressed that local units must carry forward the momentum: the dredging is only the beginning of what must be an ongoing and sustained effort.

Operationally, SMC will likely deploy dredges, barges and earth-moving equipment in phases across identified river systems. Local governments are expected to manage maintenance once the initial cleanup is completed. A one-year timeline has been set for the first major clean-up wave, though long-term river health will depend on sustained commitment.

The broader implications of the project extend beyond immediate flood relief. Clean waterways and stronger river-systems contribute to environmental health, local livelihoods (particularly in agriculture and small-scale fisheries), and the overall resilience of the Laguna region—which is part of the larger CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) corridor. As land-use pressures intensify with urbanization and industrial growth, the capacity to manage waterways well becomes critical.

Moving forward, the key will be public cooperation: as Ang said, if trash continues to be dumped, or if riverbanks are further encroached upon, the gains of this partnership could be eroded. Local government units must take up the operational responsibilities and engage in community education, regulatory enforcement and river maintenance protocols. Meanwhile, the initial funding and heavy-lifting by SMC give the project a fast start.

This partnership between Laguna’s provincial government and SMC represents a model of public-private cooperation tackling one of the Philippines’ persistent environmental and social challenges. By combining corporate resources with governmental authority, the initiative holds promise to not only reduce flood risks but also restore river systems to healthier functioning states—benefiting thousands of residents and enhancing the region’s resilience in an era of changing climate and intensifying storms.