THE Ayala-led Manila Water Co. recently signed a joint-venture agreement (JCA) with the Calasiao Water District to improve water supply and boost the economic potentials of the municipality of Calasiao, Pangasinan.
The 25-year JVA with the Calasiao Water District covers undertakings for the development, financing, design, engineering, construction, upgrade, testing, commissioning, operation, management and maintenance of the water facilities within the service areas of the Calasiao Water District.
Immediately, through the JVA, the proponents hope to rehabilitate the water district’s existing water system.
Backed by local government officials led by Calasiao Mayor Joseph Arman C. Bauzon, the JVA is expected to improve water services affecting 95,000 people in 24 barangays, hence boosting the economic potential of the Pangasinan town, a statement released by Manila Water said.
Bauzon is pinning his hope on the newly forged partnership to boost the living conditions of its constituents.
“We believe that with Manila Water as a partner, we will be able to realize our biggest dream of making Calasiao not just one of the premier municipalities but maybe [even] one of the premiere cities in Pangasinan. This will not only provide more opportunities for livelihood but, more important, ensure a better quality of life for our constituents with the provision of sustainable water supply,” Bauzon said in a statement.
Calasiao will soon to be the site of the first large-scale mall in the province of Pangasinan and a prime location for a facility plant of a leading beverage company. It is likewise touted as a preferred growth location for other businesses.
In the first year the joint venture will prioritize improvements in barangays Ambuetel, Nagsaing, Doyong and Lumbang.
Manila Water Philippine Ventures and Manila Water Asia Pacific President and CEO Virgilio C. Rivera Jr. expressed his gratitude for the support of the municipality leaders, which he said is the vital element to the successful implementation of the delicate PPP process, which requires a lot of stakeholder support.
Rivera affirmed his appreciation to the local government for the opportunity it has given Manila Water to replicate the company’s brand of quality service and good performance in the province of Pangasinan.
“We hope that this project will serve as a platform for Manila Water to assist the Province in expanding the provision of water supply through collaboration with other water districts,” Rivera said.
The water company commits to establish a service and efficiency level which will be the benchmark in the area and aspire to make Calsiao Water District the best performing water district in Pangasinan.
Manila Water will be bringing in its twenty years of vast technical experience and customer service expertise to the municipality much in the same way that it significantly transformed water systems through strategic partnerships in multiple locations in the Philippines and the Asian region.
This is Manila Water’s third alliance with a water district in the country, with initial partnerships in 2015 with Zamboanga City Water District for a water network efficiency improvement project and with Tagum City Water District for a bulk water source development project.