Aboitiz InfraCapital (AIC), the infrastructure unit of the Aboitiz Group, is aiming to deliver long-term water security in Iloilo City after bagging the original proponent status (OTS) for its proposal to construct and operate the city’s bulk water facility.
Aboitiz wins go-signal to plan for Iloilo's ₱5.1-billion bulk water project
AIC said the OPS to develop the Iloilo Bulk Water Supply Project via a public-private partnership (PPP) scheme was awarded to the company last week.
AIC President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Cosette Canilao said this acts as a “major step forward” in addressing Iloilo City’s rising demand for water.
“We are honored by the city’s trust given to us through the OPS, and we are committed to working closely with our partners to co-create a future-ready water system for all Ilonggos,” Canilao said in a statement.
Under the PPP Code, an OPS is granted to the proponent of an unsolicited proposal after successful negotiation with the proposal’s implementing agency, acknowledging the said proposal as qualified.
AIC earlier submitted an unsolicited proposal to develop the Iloilo Bulk Water Supply Project through a Build-Own-Operate (BOO) and Build-Lease (BL) scheme.
The company said the awarding of OPS reflects the merit of its proposal, particularly by being a “technically sound, financially viable, and socially responsive solution” to meet the city’s water needs.
With the awarding of OPS, the project will proceed to a Swiss Challenge stage, which allows other qualified parties to submit comparative proposals.
However, as the OPS recipient, the AIC will have the advantage of matching other top proposals.
According to the PPP Center, the project covers the development of a bulk water supply system with a water treatment plant and a 4-kilometer treated water pipeline.
With an estimated project cost of ₱5.12 billion, the Iloilo Bulk Water Supply Project will have a capacity of 86 million liters of potable bulk water daily.
AIC envisioned that this will meet the demands of the city’s growing population and thriving economy.
AIC’s water subsidiary, Apo Agua Infrastructura Inc., jointly operates with the Davao City Water District the Davao City Bulk Water Supply Project (DCBWSP).
The DCBWSP is the country’s largest bulk water supply facility, which delivers 300 million liters per day of potable water.