San Miguel, Metro Pacific pitch water, hydropower projects — DENR

THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said San Miguel Corp., Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC), and Manila Water Co., Inc. have submitted proposals for bulk water supply and hydropower projects.

“Last December, we opened opportunities for investments. I am now in receipt of proposals, and they come from the biggest companies here locally. They have submitted letters of interest,” Environment Undersecretary Carlos Primo C. David said on the sidelines of the Israel-Philippines Water Technology Forum last week.

He said the DENR has received 88 proposals from different companies, six of which are major companies in the Philippines.

“Fast forward to today, we offer 247 projects — bulk water projects for public-private partnership (PPP). At this point in time, I have received proposals from various companies like San Miguel, Manila Water, and Metro Pacific, and now we are working on having these projects materialized,” Mr. David added.

BusinessWorld reached out to the identified companies but did not to receive a response by the deadline.

The projects aim to increase water supply while also tapping the potential of hydropower projects, the department said.

Mr. David previously said that 40% of the country’s population still does not have a formal water supply.

“To provide water to the 40%, we need P250 billion,” he said in an interview.

Data provided by the DENR shows that about 247 water projects are available for PPP, comprising bulk water supply projects and hydropower projects with a total capacity of 500 megawatts.

Mr. David also mentioned the inclusion of the Cavite bulk water supply project in these initiatives, saying that the government intends to bid out the contract for this project within the year.

At the same time, he said that the National Irrigation Administration is expediting the construction of eight multipurpose dams to provide water supply and generate power.

These projects include the Jalaur River Multipurpose Project Phase 2, Tumauini River Multipurpose Project, Maringalo Dam Irrigation Project Phase 2, Ilocos Norte-Ilocos Sur-Abra Irrigation Project, Upper Banaong Irrigation Project, Mabini Agricultural Development Project, Balintingon Irrigation Project, and Panay River Basin Integrated Development Project.

Collectively, these eight multipurpose projects have a capacity of approximately 416 million liters per day and are designed to produce both hydropower and solar power.

MPIC is one of the three key Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT Inc.

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