SMC ‘aeropolis’ in Bulacan seen gaining ground
Private concessionaire San Miguel Corp. (SMC) said on Monday that land development for its upcoming “aeropolis” in Bulacan—backed by Boskalis Westminster, one of the world’s leading dredging and marine infrastructure firms—continues to advance.
In a statement on Monday, SMC said the 2500-hectare New Manila International Airport (NMIA) project development works were compliant with global standards, as Dutch firm Boskalis continues to provide technical and advisory support.
The conglomerate said the project was compliant with International Finance Corp. (IFC) environmental and social performance Standards that govern project design, monitoring, risk mitigation and community safeguards.
“These requirements exceed typical local regulations and ensure that all development works meet the highest global standards,” SMC said.
SMC noted that this project was among the very few projects in the Philippines operating “under this level of environmental and social commitment and compliance.”
“SMC has committed hundreds of billions of pesos to build a major international gateway that will benefit the country for generations,” said the conglomerate led by tycoon Ramon Ang.
“We remain fully committed to completing this project responsibly and in accordance with global best practices,” the firm added.
SMC added that the project was guided by extensive hydrological studies, independent engineering reviews and continuous environmental monitoring, together with long-term flood-mitigation measures for surrounding communities.
Further, SMC said it was conducting continuous river cleanup and rehabilitation efforts across Bulacan and nearby provinces “at no cost to the government.”
It also refuted circulating online claims questioning the viability of the project, saying such allegations “do not reflect actual progress on the ground.”
“Some claims circulating online are inaccurate and misleading. These can create unnecessary confusion for the public and concern among stakeholders,” SMC said.
“We encourage anyone with questions about the project to raise them through proper channels, where they can be discussed transparently and with access to verified technical information.
The firm has asked Meta to review pages disseminating misleading information “while concealing their identity.”
SMC’s P735 billion airport project in Bulacan aims to decongest passenger volume at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, which it also operates under its private consortium, New Naia Infra Corp.
As of the latest update, NMIA’s land development is 80 percent complete. However, a shortage of sand slowed down completion of its first phase to 2028.
