RAMON ANG VOLUNTEERS TO HELP SOLVE METRO MANILA’S FLOODING WOES AT NO COST TO THE GOVERNMENT

SAN Miguel Corporation (SMC) president and CEO Ramon Ang on Friday volunteered to help solve the massing floodings in Metro Manila at no cost to the government.

In a press briefing on Friday, Ang said he is ready to use his own money to buy land for schools and housing affected by the floods.

He made it clear that his help comes with no cost to the government.

Ang said he is volunteering to help fix the flooding in the entire Metro Manila and will shoulder the expenses himself.

“Ako po San Miguel, Ramon Ang, nagvo-volunteer ako ngayon. Ako na ang tutulong sa buong Metro Manila ma-solve ang baha at no cost to the people at no cost to the government,” Ang said.

According to him, if there are schools that need to be relocated, he will buy land and build new ones.

He also said that he will buy land to build new homes for the people living over rivers, just to clear the blocked waterways.

“O, kahit ‘yung eskwela, gusto mo bibili na ako ng lupa kapalit nun? Tatayuan ko ng kapalit ng eskwela. Pati housing, bibili na rin ako lupa. Maraming naiwan pabahay ng mga tao dun,” he said.

Ang expressed belief that the flooding problem can be solved.

According to him, the main solution to floodings in Metro Manila is to remove tha blockages in rivers, including illegal structures, built over waterways.

Ang appealed to the public and the government to “stop pointing fingers,” recalling how San Miguel Corp. did not blame anyone when it discovered that reconstruction near Bicutan along the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) had blocked an entire canal with cement, resulting in chest-deep floods.

“Bineblame na naman ako. Mayroon palang reconstruction. Nanigas ‘yung buong kanal. O, kasalanan ba natin ‘yun? Wala nang turuan, pinalitan natin lahat ang kanal. Kami gumawa nun at our cost,” he said.

Ang’s firm was being blamed for the flooding in some areas where they have ongoing projects.  

In July, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) called out San Miguel Corporation over flooding tied to clogged waterways along major roads, recognizing that the company is the concessionaire for the MRT-7 project and the Metro Manila Skyway.

SMC said its MRT-7 Project Management Office has clarified its facilities near Batasan Station on Commonwealth Avenue are not the cause of the flooding.

“All MRT-7 structures in the area, including columns and footings, were built outside existing drainage lines and do not obstruct the natural flow of water. These were constructed with full consideration of the drainage layout and in compliance with approved engineering plans,” SMC said.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has ordered an immediate audit and review of the government’s flood control projects, alleging that some may be tainted with corruption.

During the recent typhoons, many parts of Metro Manila were badly flooded blamed on clogged waterways.