Philippines' Marcos welcomes Ramon Ang’s offer to address Metro Manila flooding woes

Dubai: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday has welcomed San Miguel Corporation (SMC) chairman and CEO Ramon Ang’s proposal to help address Metro Manila’s flooding problem at no cost to the government.

Speaking to reporters in Malacañang on Monday, Marcos thanked Ang for the offer and said it highlighted the value of private sector participation in national development.

“You’ve seen the results of his projects,” Marcos said, adding that Ang, an engineer, had likely studied the plan thoroughly. He noted, however, that local government units must also address the region’s garbage problem, which he said is essential to making any flood control effort work.

Ang made the offer in an August 8 news conference, pledging to assist “the whole of Metro Manila” in tackling flooding without expenses for either the public or the government.

“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,” Ang said in a mix of Tagalog and English.

Marcos also welcomed Senator Panfilo Lacson’s suggestion to invite other prominent business leaders to join disaster-mitigation initiatives. He noted that wealthy entrepreneurs in the country have often offered help for major development projects.

In a radio interview on Saturday, Lacson said the Palace could call on other Filipino billionaires to contribute resources as part of their corporate social responsibility, describing the approach as unconventional but worth trying.