SM, DENR empower communities through joint coastal clean-ups on World Oceans Day

SM Prime Holdings Inc., one of the leading integrated property developers in Southeast Asia, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), stressed the importance of taking care of our natural resources by taking action through SM Cares Coastal Clean-up activities held from June 5 to 10 across select SM malls in Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

In celebration of World Environment Day, SM Cagayan de Oro Downtown Premier joined the DENR Rivers for Life clean-up, just as SM affirmed the many ways its properties are operated sustainably in the Environment For Life forum at the DENR Central Office.

This was followed by Coastal Clean-up drives at SM by the BAY, SM City Olongapo Downtown, SM Center Lemery and SM City Cebu, in celebration of World Oceans Day. In Pasay City alone, four 10-wheeler trucks’ worth of trash was collected within the two-hour program. Collectively, 2,262 volunteers from SM employees, local government units, schools and organizations nationwide collected 29,972 kilos of trash from coastlines and rivers.

SM Cagayan de Oro kicks off various SM clean-up activities this June in celebration of World Environment Day.

Sec. Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga, together with DENR Undersecretaries and Division Chiefs, join hands with SM Prime and LGUs in mounting clean-ups with communities.

“SM joins the international community [in creating] awareness for the ocean and its inhabitants, and the need to unite to protect it,” said Vice President for Corporate Compliance and SM Cares Program Director for the Environment Engr. Liza Silerio.

“On behalf of the SM family, you have our promise to continue to embrace sustainability in everything we do as a company to protect the environment for the future generation of Filipinos,” she added.

Sec. Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga, SM Supermalls Vice President for Corporate Compliance and SM Cares Director for Environment Programs Engr. Liza Silerio, Pasay City Chief of Staff, Atty. Peter Pardo review trash collection at the SM Coastal Clean-up at SM by the BAY in Pasay City.

SM Supermalls Senior Vice President, Engr. Bien C. Mateo, joins Sec. Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga and the DENR’s strategic partners in the DENR forum on “Blazing New Trails and Building a Shared Future” during World Environment Day.

The Coastal Clean-up project at SM by the BAY in Pasay City was attended by DENR Secretary Antonia Loyzaga, who emphasized that this was just one of the activities that the DENR is promoting for Environment Month.

“Today’s activity plays a very important part in our roles in climate action,” she said. “I urge the public to participate to help in raising awareness on biodiversity loss and climate change, and engage in protecting and conserving the country’s environment and natural resources.”

Other guests at the event included DENR National Capital Region (NCR) Regional Executive Director Jacqueline Caancan, Atty. Peter Pardo, Chief of Staff of Pasay City Mayor Imelda Calixto-Rubiano, and City Environment and Natural Resources Officer-in-Charge Ronald Rey Salvador.

SM Prime engages with schools and youth organizations to do their share in taking care of the environment.

Volunteers clean coastlines with SM by the BAY, SM Center Lemery, SM City Olongapo Downtown and SM City Cebu for World Oceans Day.

The Coastal Clean-up initiative is one of many projects SM Prime has mounted through SM Supermalls in support of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically the “SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities” and “SDG 12: Responsible Production and Consumption”. Other initiatives include the Trash-To-Cash Recycling Market, the Plastic Waste and Electronic Waste Collection Programs, and more.

SM Cares is the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of SM Supermalls, the country’s biggest chain of malls built by one of Southeast Asia’s leading real estate developers, SM Prime, with programs that support communities in promoting social inclusion, and care for the environment. Its advocacies include Programs for the Environment, Persons with Disabilities, Women & Breastfeeding Mothers, Children & Youth, Senior Citizens, and the SM Bike-friendly initiative.

To learn more about these programs, visit www.smsupermalls.com/smcares.

Find out more about SM Prime’s Sustainability and Resilience here.

This is a paid press release from SM Prime Holdings, Inc.