San Miguel Corporation (SMC) Archives

Violent demolition of urban poor community in Laguna reflects wider housing crisis

Under the 2025 National Expenditure Program, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development’s budget was cut down from a proposed P4.22 million to P3.55 million. The DHSUD, accordingly, announced that it was lowering its target of building low-cost housing units from 4 million by 2028 to 3.2 million. Kadamay, however, asserts that this target is too low to accommodate the current housing backlog, which the group estimates to reach “as high as 12 million” by 2028.

Justin Umali | Jan 20, 2025

Security guards in Palawan ancestral island hired by SMC subsidiary, police probe shows

Palawan PNP claimed that their investigation pointed to the likelihood that the Bricktree hired JMV services, which allegedly is the security agency providing guards in Mariahangin. The information was retrieved from the transcript of a meeting of Mariahangin residents with government agencies and confirmed by residents present in the dialogue.

Dominic Gutoman | Jan 19, 2025

Molbog IPs stage 9-day hunger strike, DAR secretary no show

“[Secretary] Estrella, we are pleading to you. Please have mercy on us. The attacks against us have gone too far and our human rights are being violated. We can no longer go to school because of what San Miguel Corporation (SMC) is doing to us. Many young people among us still want to study, but I am one of those who had to stop because we can no longer live in peace there," Rustene Pelayo Leoncio said in Filipino.

Dominic Gutoman | Dec 11, 2024

Residents expose resettlement program offered by SMC amid denial of involvement

Residents said that in 2023, SMC initially presented a “resettlement program" for Mariahangin families, offering money amounting to P75,000 with land or P100,000 if without land. Recently, the offer has increased to P400,000 per family to urge them to vacate their ancestral lands.

Dominic Gutoman | Dec 4, 2024

DAR urged to give land coverage back to the Molbog people

In 2023, DAR revoked the NOC of the 10,821 hectares of land of the indigenous peoples in Bugsuk, Palawan which was initially issued in 2014. Residents said that this decision by DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III prompted escalated harassment and intimidation in their community in Sitio Mariahangin.

Dominic Gutoman | Dec 3, 2024

IP community prevents PNP, alleged SMC elements from entering ancestral land

“We cannot sleep well these days because we fear that they will enter the community. Our husbands have skipped work and our livelihoods have been paralyzed just so we can defend our ancestral land from their attempts to seize it. Our children sometimes do not have anything to eat.”

Dominic Gutoman | Nov 21, 2024

Defending rivers and Manila Bay against pollution, privatization

“If anyone had rights over the Manila Bay, it is the Filipino people, and if it is to serve any purpose, it should be for the benefit of the general population, and not an elite few.”

Marya Salamat | Mar 7, 2019

‘Direct hit’ Bulacan fisherfolk most affected, least consulted on SMC reclamation

What is common in the stories of the residents in various coastal sitios of Bulacan is that the “news” about their impending displacement is coming to them in trickles of information packaged in a threat.

Marya Salamat | Mar 1, 2019

Bulacan fisherfolk, women want genuine, inclusive Manila Bay rehabilitation

While the government is riding on the popular call for cleanup of Manila Bay, harnessing free labor of volunteers for fishing out thrash in Manila Bay, it is, on the other hand, disproportionately blaming the poor and seeking their demolition in favor of reclamation plans and other real estate development.

Marya Salamat | Feb 27, 2019

Cutting of mangroves result in heavier floods in Taliptip

Unlike in past typhoons, the flood was higher and stayed longer, and the surges hit stronger, carrying off the sand at the top of the soil.

Marya Salamat | Oct 18, 2018

‘SMC airport project to worsen flooding, displace families in Bulacan’

“The birds’ habitat, the people’s source of livelihood and protection from storm surges are being turned into just another concrete jungle for the profit of the very few.”

Marya Salamat | Sep 28, 2018

Save Taliptip

That P735.6-billion reclamation budget from SMC seemed to have been enough for NEDA to ignore the thousands of people to be displaced and the ecologically critical vegetation to be damaged.

Kalikasan PNE | May 20, 2018

The big three in the power industry

By ANNE MARXZE D. UMIL Bulatlat.com MANILA – The Philippines has the most expensive electricity rates in Asia, a study by International Energy Consultants (IEC) showed. The Philippines is also the only country with a privatized power industry and without government...

Anne Marxze Umil | Sep 8, 2011

Laiban Deal Setback Temporary, Group Vows Continued Opposition

PRESS STATEMENT 6 March 2010 Anti-water privatization alliance Water for the People Network (WPN) today said that the termination of the proposed P52-billion Laiban Dam is just a temporary setback for its proponents and called on all concerned sectors to remain...

Press Releases | Mar 6, 2010

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