SM builds flood-resilient malls to protect communities and keep businesses running

The developer invests in rainwater catchment systems, elevated structures, and seawalls to help reduce flood risks and support business continuity during typhoons.

Flooding has become an all-too-familiar disruption for many Filipinos, forcing businesses to close, delaying work, and making recovery harder for entire communities. As extreme weather becomes more frequent, some developers are investing in infrastructure designed not only to protect their properties, but also the people and businesses around them.

SM Prime is among them, incorporating flood-resilient features into its malls to help reduce flood risks, support tenant businesses, and keep operations running during severe weather.

One of its key investments is a network of underground rainwater catchment basins that temporarily store excess rainwater during typhoons, helping ease flooding in surrounding areas. Across its malls, these systems can hold up to 86,000 cubic meters of rainwater, roughly equivalent to 34 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

SM City La Union recently expanded this approach with a 760-cubic meter rainwater catchment system equipped with multistage filtration and reverse osmosis technology. The collected water can be reused for cleaning and cooling, allowing the mall to support both flood mitigation and water conservation.

Some malls also feature site-specific flood protection. SM City Marikina stands on 246 concrete stilts above the area’s highest recorded flood level, a design that proved effective during Typhoon Ondoy in 2009 when the mall remained dry and served as a refuge for residents affected by widespread flooding. Meanwhile, the seawall at SM Mall of Asia is designed to help protect the complex from storm surges through wave-return technology and drainage channels that divert excess water.

The company said these investments are part of its disaster risk reduction initiatives under the SM Green Movement, which also supports the UNDRR ARISE Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies. By strengthening flood resilience across its developments, SM aims to help communities recover faster while giving businesses a better chance to stay open when severe weather strikes.

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