In a bold move that could shake up the way Metro Manila tackles its chronic flooding woes, San Miguel Corporation president and CEO Ramon Ang has stepped forward with a sweeping offer: clean up the capital’s clogged waterways and dismantle flood-causing obstructions—without charging the government or the Filipino people a single centavo.
The proposal, unveiled ahead of a high-level meeting with Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chair Don Artes and a roster of Metro Manila mayors on Friday, August 8, could mark a rare moment where big business takes direct aim at a decades-old urban nightmare.
Seated alongside leaders including Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, Valenzuela Mayor Wes Gatchalian, Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon, and Las Piñas Mayor Imelda Aguilar—plus Las Piñas Rep. Mark Santos—Ang didn’t mince words.
“I, Ramon Ang of San Miguel, am volunteering to be the first to help the whole of Metro Manila address flooding, at no cost to the people and no cost to the government,” he declared, switching seamlessly between Filipino and English. “We will do the cleaning, but without your authorization, we can’t proceed.”
His plan cuts straight to the root of the problem: garbage-clogged waterways and riversides suffocated by informal structures. Ang says these block the natural flow of water, turning heavy rains into waist-deep street floods. His solution? Clear the obstructions, restore the flow, and—critically—make sure displaced residents are not left in the lurch.
“Let’s provide them with housing so they won’t feel they are being evicted without due consideration,” he stressed, signaling a softer, more humane approach to what is often a politically charged issue.
For a metropolis that has seen countless flood control projects stall, fail, or drown in bureaucracy, Ang’s no-cost, privately driven pitch is bound to stir both hope and skepticism. Will Metro Manila’s leaders give him the green light? Or will another chance to finally drain the city’s floodwaters be lost in the tide of red tape?
Either way, the ball is now in the government’s court—and the next downpour might prove whether this offer is a game-changer or just another headline washed away.