The Laguna Lake Development Authority, the only lake basin regulator in the Philippines, recently recognized SM Supermalls for its active involvement and compliance in environmental protection and management.

SM Supermalls was cited in the awarding ceremony of the “DiwangLawa Awards”—an initiative of the LLDA public disclosure program for the Laguna de Bay region—on Sept. 20 at the Sugar Regulatory Administration office in Quezon City. The awarding of winners was led by Secretary Nereus Acosta, general manager of the LLDA and Presidential adviser for Environment Protection; Dolora Nepomuceno, LLDA assistant general manager; and Michael Gison, planning officer of the Metro Manila Development Authority.

Institutions under the LLDA jurisdiction were assessed based on a rating scheme, according to their level of compliance to effluent standards and regulatory requirements with regard to the environmental maintenance of the lake basin.

Seven SM malls and two SM facilities received blue rating, which is equivalent to satisfactory performance, while one was given green rating for its  compliance beyond standard.

Blue ratings were bestowed on SM City Fairview, SM Center Muntinlupa, SM City Sta. Rosa, SM City Taytay, SM City Manila, SM Mall of Asia, SM Center Pasig, SM Two-Ecom and SMX Convention Center, while the green rating was given to SM City San Lazaro.

The public disclosure program was founded in 2005 as a part of the Laguna de Bay Institutional Strengthening and Community Participation Project, which is funded by the World Bank and the Dutch government.

Serving as a tool for pollution control and environmental governance, the program evaluates industrial companies that discharge wastewater effluent based on their compliance with a certain set of ecological quality criteria. It was founded in 2006 to control, prevent and reduce pollution in the lake basin.