MWSS chief elected to Asia Water Council board

Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) Administrator Reynaldo V. Velasco has been elected as director of the Asia Water Council (AWC) last 30 March 2017 during the 4th AWC Board of Council Meeting in Beijing, China.

AWC President Hak-Soo Lee formally welcomed MWSS Administrator Velasco who briefly addressed the AWC Council saying, “It is my honor to represent the Philippines and the MWSS as a member of the Asia Water Council and I thank everyone for this warm welcome.”

Asia Water Council (AWC) is a global network focused in providing tangible solutions on Asian Water Challenges and facilitating multilateral discussions among stakeholders. The AWC coordinates with stakeholders during identification and implementation of tangible solutions.

According to AWC Executive Director Yongdeok Cho, Asia Water Council started in June 2014 when the Asian Water High Level Round Table, was held in Korea wherein a majority consensus was arrived at that Asia needed to tackle its collective water problems.

Likewise, Velasco has also been invited as one of the resource speakers of the forthcoming Asia International Water Week (AIWW), a forum for sharing AWC’s professional achievements as well as knowledge sharing with other professionals’ experience and networks. The MWSS chief is expected to lecture on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in the waterworks industry in the first AIWW and Korea International Water Week (KIWW) to be held in September 20-23, 2017 in Gyeongju, South Korea.

“As part of my presentation, I will present and highlight the successful Public-Private Partnership (PPP) among MWSS and the three concessionaires, Manila Water, Maynilad and Bulacan Bulk Water, as an effective Legal Framework for SDGs on water supply development, operations and management,” said Velasco.

Velasco, a retired decorated three-star police officer and professional manager, was appointed as MWSS Administrator last February 20, 2017. As the new administrator, he promised to reinvigorate MWSS by embracing the basic principle of what is fair and just to all stakeholders: Affordable, clean and safe water; sufficient and sustainable water supply; strong partnerships with local governments and other organizations; and a merit award system for MWSS employees.