Vol. XXI, No. 213 [ Business World Online ]
Friday, May 30, 2008 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES
AYALA-LED Manila Water Co. has been hired by the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) to improve Boracay Island’s water and sewerage system.
In a disclosure to the stock exchange, the water company said it had signed a consultancy deal with the government agency to operate and maintain facilities of the Boracay Water and Sewerage System (BWSS), a PTA unit.
Under the contract, Manila Water will devise, enforce and monitor management plans for BWSS facilities, as well as provide technical assistance for the expansion of the water system.
BWSS operates a water treatment plant in mainland Caticlan and a sewage treatment plant on Boracay island.
Boracay, one of the country’s top tourist destinations, has encountered environmental problems due to the influx of tourists and increasing commercial establishments.
"We will basically device, implement and monitor the operations of BWSS and after two months, we will assess what needs to be done," Manila Water Corporate Communications Manager Nestor Jeric T. Sevilla said.
"Since wastewater disposal and treatment have become a major concern, we would like to help... preserve Boracay as one of the country’s major tourist destinations," Manila Water President Antonino T. Aquino said.
"This private-public partnership also provides us the opportunity to support the government’s thrusts in tourism as a major vehicle for economic development," he added.
Manila Water provides water and wastewater services to nearly six million people in 23 cities and municipalities of the east zone concession of Metro Manila.
It operates and manages the country’s biggest sewage treatment facility in Makati, and the largest and most modern septage treatment facility in Southeast Asia, located in Taguig City.
Manila Water also operates and manages a water supply and sewerage project in Tirupur, India.
Earlier, the company said it would spend P37 billion over the next five years as it intensifies efforts to expand and improve the water and wastewater networks in the east zone.
It also has announced plans to form two subsidiary companies to cater to the company’s international and environmental business initiatives.
Manila Water earlier reported P2.42 billion in earnings for 2007, better than the previous year despite the full year provision for income tax worth P892 million. The company’s income tax holiday expired at the end of 2006.
This year, Manila Water is spending P7.7 billion. Among its major projects is a P1.5-billion water treatment plant that seeks to increase water capacity by at least 100 million liters daily. — A.K.K. Austria
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