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 company's 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 country's sustainable
development.
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| SM City Marikina prioritizes safety with flood mitigation measures, ensuring a secure and comfortable environment for the community. |
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.
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| SM City Marikina, elevated on 246 concrete stilts, allows floodwaters to flow beneath, keeping occupants safe during severe weather events. |
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 Cabanatuan’s lower ground parking level serves as a
temporary catchment basin.
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| SM City Cabanatuan demonstrates SM Prime's
dedication to flood mitigation through its robust design. |
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| SM City Cabanatuan's lower ground parking level doubles as a temporary flood catchment basin, a crucial element of our flood mitigation strategy. |
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 – enough to fill over 34 Olympic-sized
swimming pools!
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| Built to protect, SM City Masinag incorporates a rainwater catchment basin to minimize the impact of heavy rainfall. |
These catchment basins have proven invaluable during recent typhoons.
For instance, SM City Masinag's 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 rainwater--the volume of 18
Olympic-sized swimming pools--from flooding the surrounding areas.
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| SM City Masinag's rainwater catchment basin collected 8,652.60 cubic meters of rainwater during Super Typhoon Carina. |
Mr. Gareth Aboy, a resident and former officer of Vermont Phase 1
Association near SM City Masinag, expressed his gratitude: “The 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. Thank 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.”
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| Designed with the community in mind, SM City Masinag incorporates flood mitigation measures for safety. |
Sustainability and resilience are at the core of SM Prime's business strategy. The company invests significantly in these measures, recognizing that the benefits – safer communities, environmental protection, and enhanced business continuity – far outweigh the costs. SM Prime remains committed to building a more resilient future for the communities it serves. (SM Supermalls)
