Conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) said it is progressing with land development activities for the New Manila International Airport (NMIA) in Bulacan, rejecting claims that the construction of the airport may no longer be viable.

SMC, through its unit San Miguel Aerocity Inc., is currently laying the groundwork for the ₱735-billion airport project that is set to rise on a 2,500-hectare site in the town of Bulakan.

“SMC has committed hundreds of billions of pesos to build a major international gateway that will benefit the country for generations,” the company said.

“We remain fully committed to completing this project responsibly and in accordance with global best practices,” it added.

The Ramon Ang-led conglomerate issued the statement following online posts casting doubt on the project’s viability, which it said has no basis given the actual progress on the ground.

SMC said these claims are “inaccurate and misleading,” warning that it only creates unnecessary confusion for the public and concern among stakeholders.

“We encourage anyone with questions about the project to raise them through proper channels, where they can be discussed transparently and with access to verified technical information,” it said.

The company said it has formally asked Meta, the operator of Facebook, to review pages that disseminate supposedly misleading information about NMIA, “while concealing their identity, in line with the platform’s policies.”

In recent weeks, questions and doubts about the construction of the NMIA have spread on social media, particularly after a video released by the popular construction YouTube channel The B1M highlighted potential flooding and sinking issues.

SMC has since clarified that the airport development works comply with the environmental and social performance standards set by the International Finance Corp. (IFC), which are the global benchmark for infrastructure projects supported by multilateral and global lenders.

The IFC standards cover a wide range of guidelines, including project design, monitoring, risk mitigation, and community safeguards.

“These requirements exceed typical local regulations and ensure that all development works meet the highest global standards,” the company said. “Very few projects in the Philippines operate under this level of environmental and social commitment and compliance.”

SMC said land activities are also guided by extensive hydrological studies, independent engineering reviews, and environmental monitoring, as well as long-term flood-mitigation measures for surrounding communities.

The company said it is also conducting river cleanup and rehabilitation efforts across Bulacan and nearby provinces at no cost to the government.

Moreover, SMC said Dutch dredging firm Boskalis Westminster remains an active partner in the project’s development despite social media posts claiming that the company has already exited the project.

“Boskalis continues to support the NMIA development and remains engaged with SMC in our technical and advisory role. We are aligned in ensuring that all works meet internationally recognized standards,” Boskalis said.

Boskalis is one of the world’s leading dredging and marine infrastructure companies, according to SMC.

Earlier reports indicated that around 80 percent of land development was complete, but a shortage of fill sand has since delayed the scheduled completion of the project’s first phase by a year to 2028.

The first phase of NMIA will see the construction of the passenger terminal building, airside facilities, alongside aviation-related equipment and support facilities, to accommodate 35 million passengers annually.

In its final form, the airport is expected to carry as many as 100 million passengers per year.