Every rainy season brings a familiar concern to many Filipino families: will floodwaters rise again?

In San Juan and neighboring cities situated along major waterways, residents know this anxiety all too well. Every approaching storm brings the threat of flooded streets, damaged homes and businesses, and disruptions to daily life.

While heavy rainfall is beyond our control, the condition of our rivers and waterways is not. For many years, our rivers have been clogged with silt and waste, reducing their capacity to carry water and making flooding more frequent and severe. Decades of inadequate maintenance, unfinished projects, and in some cases, corruption in flood control and infrastructure projects have contributed to the deterioration of waterways.

Today, however, we are beginning to see meaningful progress.

One of the most significant efforts addressing this challenge is the ongoing river rehabilitation and dredging program of San Miguel Corporation (SMC) under the leadership of Mr. Ramon Ang. Through its Better Rivers PH initiative, in cooperation with the national government’s Oplan Kontra Baha, SMC has undertaken large-scale dredging operations across major river systems, restoring water flow and reducing flood risks in surrounding communities—at no cost at all to the national or local governments.

To date, the initiative has cleared more than 192 kilometers of waterways across Luzon and removed over nine million cubic meters of silt and waste. The impact is evident in the San Juan River, which traverses Quezon City, Manila, Mandaluyong, and San Juan City. Approximately 322,739 cubic meters of silt and waste have been removed from the river’s 10.5-kilometer stretch, including the two-kilometer segment that passes through our city. Areas that were once heavily silted have been restored to functional depths of approximately 2.5 to four meters and have significantly improved water flow.

For residents, these figures translate into greater peace of mind during the rainy season. Anyone who has seen the San Juan River recently can appreciate the visible difference. Sections that were once shallow and heavily clogged are now noticeably deeper and better able to accommodate increased water volume during heavy rainfall.

This progress has been possible because government, communities, and the private sector have worked together toward a common goal.

In San Juan, we continue to implement cleanup and maintenance initiatives through programs such as the “Bayanihan sa Estero” in partnership with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority under Chairman Atty. Don Artes. These efforts help keep waterways free of waste and debris, while large-scale dredging through Better Rivers PH ensures that major river channels retain the capacity needed to move water efficiently.

We are very much thankful to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Oplan Kontra Baha which has strengthened coordination among agencies responsible for flood control and water management. His decision to appoint Secretary Vince Dizon to lead the Department of Public Works and Highways has also brought renewed urgency to the proper implementation of flood control programs, with greater emphasis on accountability, transparency, and results.

Last December, Secretary Dizon and I inspected the voluntary clearing of residential structures of families built directly on top of a major drainage line along San Venancio Street in Barangay San Perfecto. They willingly agreed to vacate after our assessment showed that their homes were blocking the flow of water into the drainage, significantly contributing to flooding during heavy rains. We transferred the affected families to prefabricated housing units in Barangay Batis, wherein all they have to pay for are electricity and water bills, helping clear a critical drainage corridor in one of San Juan City's most flood-prone areas.

Together with SMC's river rehabilitation efforts, these reforms are helping ensure that public funds deliver real protection for communities.

Even before the ongoing river rehabilitation and dredging efforts, San Juan had already been implementing community-based flood mitigation programs. These include the Cleanest Barangay Competition, which promotes proper waste management and cleaner communities, with cash prizes of ₱200,000, ₱100,000, and ₱50,000 for the top-performing barangays.

We also launched the DIY Rainwater Catchment System Contest, which encourages the collection and immediate reuse of rainwater to help reduce runoff during heavy rains. Winners receive ₱30,000 in the Household Category and ₱50,000 in the Commercial Establishment and Government Institution Category.

However, no amount of infrastructure investment, dredging, drainage improvement, or flood mitigation programs can fully address flooding if people continue to irresponsibly dispose of their waste into rivers, creeks, canals, and drainage systems. That is why I continue to call on everyone to exercise discipline and take personal responsibility for protecting our environment. Our waterways are not garbage dumps.

In San Juan, we have reinforced this principle through stricter enforcement of our environmental regulations. We have increased the fine for individuals caught littering or throwing garbage into waterways and drainage systems to ₱5,000 as a stronger deterrent against irresponsible waste disposal.

Today, when I walk along portions of the San Juan River, I see the results of hard work and sustained commitment. I see a river that is deeper, cleaner, and better prepared to withstand the challenges of the rainy season.

To our partners in the private sector and the national government, thank you for standing with our communities in this effort. River rehabilitation is not simply about removing millions of cubic meters of silt and waste. It is about investing in better-protected homes, safeguarding livelihoods, and giving families greater peace of mind whenever dark clouds gather.

The work is far from over, but with sustained commitment and genuine partnership, we are proving that flooding is not a problem we must simply learn to live with—it is a challenge we can confront and overcome together.