The Philippines encounters several typhoons a year, with an unprecedented impact of flooding and displacement. The destruction of these typhoons can reach the equivalent of up to PHP 1 billion in agricultural damage and PHP 500 million in infrastructure damage, according to the Asian Disaster Reduction Center.
With the Philippines’ vulnerability to flooding, it’s important to manage the country’s waterways to maintain a tolerable water level when a typhoon comes. To help with this endeavor, the Better Rivers PH initiative mobilizes people and communities to work hand in hand, ensuring that rivers stay healthy and reducing flooding risks.
Launched by the San Miguel Corporation, Better Rivers PH aims to collaborate with private companies and garner government support to utilize technology in removing solid wastes from rivers, restoring manageable depth and width sizes, and continuing sustainable partnerships for waterway rehabilitation.
The advocacy program has partnered with key environmental and infrastructure government agencies such as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and local government units that are mainly affected by floods due to their proximity to coastal rivers.
Better Rivers PH has crossed through highly populated areas, such as rivers in Bulacan up to the south of Laguna, and as of November 2025, the program has collected 8,606,702 cubic meters of waste and silt, covering 166.87 kilometers of waterway distance.
“We are now not affected by the flooding. We also do not experience the burden of dealing with repairs brought by flooding. Our river is now clean since the problem of flooding was fixed,” shared Noel Andrada, Purok Leader of Brgy. Marulas, Valenzuela City, about the cleaning operations of the Tullahan River.
Better Rivers PH stays committed to providing more cross private-public coordination to ensure cooperation between sectors in achieving cleaner waterways. Visit the Better Rivers PH website for more information on their initiatives.