Phl water execs attend SoKor confab

Top leaders of Metro Manila’s water supply system presented in South Korea’s two major water conferences the 10-year water security program under President Duterte’s administration and the successful Private Public Partnership (PPP) between the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), Manila Water, Maynilad and Bulacan Bulk Water’s Luzon Clean Water Corp.

MWSS Administrator Reynaldo Velasco was one of the resource speakers of the 1st Asia International Water Week (AIWW) and the World Water Cities Forum in Gyeongju, Korea held on September 19 to 23.

Aside from Velasco, Manila Water President Ferdinand de la Cruz and Maynilad President Ramoncito Fernandez would deliver their separate presentations on Drinking Water and Sanitation at the AWC Water Project Forum.

On water security, Velasco said the Duterte administration is focused on four main areas to fortify water security: interim and long-term water source projects to approximate at least 4,000 million liters per day (MLD) in the next 10 years; disaster management especially with the possible occurrence of the Big One or an earthquake with magnitude 8.2 and anti-terrorist and saboteur measures on major water installations and facilities; sustained environmental program through the MWSS Annual Million Tree Challenge for sustainable watershed management; and, developing and improving wastewater system and sanitation.

Velasco said MWSS together with Manila Water, Maynilad, and Luzon Clean Water are pursuing sustainable water source projects to insure water security.

“The Korea water conference is an important event to further promote the country’s effective, participative and successful PPP legal framework started in 1997 by President Fidel V. Ramos through a Concession Agreement in the water industry that the Philippines through Manila Water is now exporting to ASEAN countries like Myanmar, Vietnam and Indonesia,” said Velasco who is also a director of the Asia Water Council (AWC).

The top three water leaders also shared their best practices of the 20-year successful Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in the Philippines.