Built to Protect: SM Prime Holdings’ Flood Mitigation Strategy

​SM Prime Holdings (SM Prime), a pioneer in Philippine sustainability initiatives, has a long history of environmental stewardship and developing resilient structures. From early adoption of water recycling and innovative energy management programs to the implementation of renewable energy and waste management, SM Prime has continually prioritized sustainability. 

This commitment was reinforced by the company's active involvement in the recent Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, which was sponsored by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Office of Civil Defense. At the conference, Hans Sy, Chairman of the Executive Committee, underlined the importance of resilience in urban populations, as well as the need for innovation and cross-sectoral collaboration for the country's long-term growth.

The Philippines is extremely vulnerable to natural disasters, particularly tropical cyclones and typhoons; hence disaster risk management (DRM) and resilient infrastructure are critical. SM Prime employs a hydrological survey approach in building locations to determine flood susceptibility.

SM City Marikina, elevated on 246 concrete stilts, allows floodwaters to flow beneath, keeping occupants safe during severe weather events.

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction praised SM City Marikina's unique structure as a prime example of such resilience. SM City Marikina is built on 246 concrete stilts along the Marikina River, which is prone to flooding during extreme weather occurrences. This unique design allows floodwaters to flow beneath the building, keeping the mall and its people safe and dry. During Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana) in 2009, which ravaged the surrounding areas, SM City Marikina remained intact, providing a safe haven for people afflicted by the calamity. Similar to the stilts approach, SM City Cabanatuan's lower ground parking level functions as a temporary catchment basin.

SM City Cabanatuan demonstrates SM Prime’s dedication to flood mitigation through its robust design.

SM City Cabanatuan’s lower ground parking level doubles as a temporary flood catchment basin, a crucial element of our flood mitigation strategy.

This promise of flood resistance extends beyond these two malls to other structures. SM Prime has implemented rainwater collection basins in its malls, which is a key innovation. These large subterranean tanks, similar in size to swimming pools, collect and store rainfall from the street, reducing floods in nearby areas. These basins are installed at 29 SM Supermalls around the country, with a total capacity of 85,400 cubic meters, which is enough to fill almost 34 Olympic-sized swimming pools!

Built to protect, SM City Masinag incorporates a rainwater catchment basin to minimize the impact of heavy rainfall.

SM City Masinag’s rainwater catchment basin collected 8,652.60 cubic meters of rainwater during Super Typhoon Carina.

Designed with the community in mind, SM City Masinag incorporates flood mitigation measures for safety.

These catchment basins have proven extremely useful during recent typhoons. For example, SM City Masinag's rainwater collection basin proved critical during Super Typhoon Carina (Gaemi) in July 2024, efficiently handling the increased water volume. It gathered 8,652.60 cubic meters of rainwater, which is 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.
 
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.”
 
Sustainability and resilience are at the heart of SM Prime's business strategy. The company spends heavily in these measures, believing that the advantages - safer communities, environmental preservation, and improved business continuity - much outweigh the expenses. SM Prime is dedicated to creating a more resilient future for the communities it serves.