Disaster Risk Management Program:ย Building for the future, today. SM Primeโs flood mitigation strategies prioritize safety, sustainability, and community resilience
SM Prime Holdings (SM Prime), a pioneer in sustainability initiatives in the Philippines, has long been committed to environmental stewardship and building resilient structures. From its early adoption of water recycling and innovative energy management programs to operationalizing renewable energy and waste management, SM Prime has consistently prioritized sustainability.
This commitment was further underscored by the companyโs active participation in the recent Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, hosted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Office of Civil Defense.
At the conference, Hans Sy, Chairman of the Executive Committee, emphasized the critical role of resilience in urban populations and how innovation and multi-sectoral collaboration are essential for the countryโs sustainable development.
The Philippines is highly vulnerable to natural hazards, especially tropical cyclones and typhoons, making disaster risk management (DRM) and resilient infrastructure crucial. SM Prime employs a hydrological survey approach in building locations to determine flood susceptibility.
A strong example of such resilience lies in SM City Marikina, whose unique structure was lauded by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.
Built beside the Marikina River, an area prone to flooding during severe weather events, SM City Marikina stands on 246 concrete stilts. This innovative design allows floodwaters to flow beneath the structure, leaving the mall and its occupants safe and dry.
During Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana) in 2009, which devastated surrounding areas, SM City Marikina remained intact, serving as a refuge for those affected by the disaster. Similar to the stilts methodology, SM City Cabanatuanโs lower ground parking level serves as a temporary catchment basin.
SM Prime employes rainwater catchment basins
Beyond these two malls, this promise of flood resilience is present in other properties. A key innovation employed by SM Prime is the implementation of rainwater catchment basins in its malls.
These massive underground tanks, similar in size to swimming pools, collect and store rainwater from the street level, mitigating flooding in surrounding communities. Twenty-nine SM Supermalls across the country are equipped with these basins, boasting a combined capacity of 85,400 cubic meters โ enough to fill over 34 Olympic-sized swimming pools!
These catchment basins have proven invaluable during recent typhoons. For instance, SM City Masinagโs rainwater catchment basin played a crucial role during Super Typhoon Carina (Gaemi) last July 2024, effectively managing the increased water volume. It collected 8,652.60 cubic meters of rainwater, equivalent to 264 gallons of water.
As the first SM mall equipped with a rainwater catchment basin, SM City Masinag was strategically built in a historically flood-prone area, serving as a catch basin for water flowing down from upper Antipolo. In the second half of 2024, SM malls prevented an estimated total of 46,405 cubic meters of rainwaterโthe volume of 18 Olympic-sized swimming poolsโfrom flooding the surrounding areas.
Mr. Gareth Aboy, a resident and former officer of Vermont Phase 1 Association near SM City Masinag, expressed his gratitude for the companyโs Disaster Risk Management program: โThe residents of Vermont Park Executive Village of Antipolo would like to extend our thanks and appreciation to SM City Masinag for always being there in our times of need.โ
โThank you for keeping your doors open for our immediate daily needs, your elevated parking spaces for our vehicles, and for keeping your water catchment basin open to help drain the water from our flood-prone village. SM City Masinag has always been and will continue to be a treasure for the residents of Vermont Park Executive Village of Antipolo.โ
Sustainability and resilience are at the core of SM Primeโs business strategy. The company invests significantly in these measures, recognizing that the benefits โ safer communities, environmental protection, and enhanced business continuity โ far outweigh the costs. SM Prime remains committed to building a more resilient future for the communities it serves.
You may also like these posts:
Lakawon Island Resort and Spa: A dog-friendly Paradise
Great read! Itโs wonderful to see SM PRIMES providing disaster protection. Itโs important that companies implement business strategies that prioritize the safety of both the communities and the environment. Especially if you are in an area of bad weather.
This is so awesome! Floods are a big problem in many areas, so Iโm glad SM Prime is doing something to reduce risks and protect people. Building elevated floors and better drainage systems is a smart and practical way to minimize flood damage.
It sounds like there is so much development going on in the Philippines. The sustainability seems like itโs very necessary!
its good to see businesses taking steps to reduce disaster risks. protecting communities makes a real life difference in the long run.
It is great to hear that something is being done and that SM Prime is now helping flood protection. It can be a big problem in some areas.