March 29, 2024
CATCHMENT TANKS — Unknown to many, the rainwater catchment of SM City Baguio located at the lowest level of the parking building occupies almost 3,160 square meters or twice the size of the Botanical Garden and can hold 6,390 cubic meters of water, which can mitigate possible massive flooding within the central business district. Other SM malls nationwide also have its own rainwater catchment tanks. — SM handout photo

SM City Baguio has a facility that can help alleviate concerns caused by heavy rains on Baguio’s drainage system.

The mall’s rainwater catchment, located at the lowest level of the parking building, occupies approximately 3,159 square meters or twice the size of the Baguio City Botanical Garden and has the capacity to hold 6,390 cubic meters of water, equivalent to two and a half Olympic-sized swimming pools. 

The rainwater catchment serves as a holding tank that lessens the load of water passing through the drainage, aiding in flood prevention and help avoid soil erosion by reducing water run-off.

Apart from supporting disaster resilience, the catchment also reduces the mall’s dependence on the city’s water table.

The collected water can be used to sustain the green roof and other vegetation around the mall. It can also be used by the city for emergency response in the event of a fire.

Today, there are 22 SM Supermalls that are built with catchment tanks which can hold a combined 79,880 cubic meters of rainwater or about 32 Olympic-sized swimming pools. 

“By investing in resilience, SM Prime minimizes vulnerability, better safeguards physical assets, reduces recovery expenses, and contributes to local government efforts. Ultimately, we are able to better protect lives and have safer, healthier, happier communities,” Hans T. Sy, chairman of the Executive Committee of SM Prime, said.

Baguio City is one of the places in the country that gets the highest amount of rain and puts lives and properties at risk of flooding.

SM Prime Holdings, the country’s largest integrated property developer, is no stranger to massive flooding, a normal occurrence in a country visited by an average of 20 typhoons a year.

SM recognizes the devastation that flooding causes, the lives it puts at risk, and the overall potential danger which has become critical considerations for any of its new property developments.

To help mitigate a flooding disaster in communities where SM Supermalls are located, SM Prime builds enormous “catchment tanks” underneath its malls.   

SM Prime continues to lead the country’s private sector in advocating disaster resilience and business continuity.

As more malls open under SM Prime, it will continue to innovate on its sustainability approaches, disaster resilience initiatives, and corporate social responsibilities. – Press release