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Manila Bulletin devider Business devider Trade & Industry devider MPW to spend ₱3.8 billion on Iloilo, Dumaguete water upgrades

MPW to spend ₱3.8 billion on Iloilo, Dumaguete water upgrades

Published Apr 30, 2026 11:11 am
Metro Pacific Water (MPW) will deploy ₱3.81 billion in capital expenditure for this year, targeting aggressive infrastructure expansion in Dumaguete and Iloilo to buffer against climate-induced supply volatility.
In a statement on Thursday, April 30, Andrew Pangilinan, MPW president and chief executive officer, said the unit of the Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) is pivoting toward climate-resilient infrastructure to prevent the service interruptions that have historically plagued provinces during extreme heat waves.
Pangilinan said MPW is prioritizing long-term security over immediate gains, recognizing that demand is scaling at a time when traditional water sources are becoming increasingly strained by extreme climate conditions.
He noted that these investments are designed to ensure customers do not bear the burden of shortages in the coming years.
A substantial chunk of the ₱3.81 billion budget is earmarked for the modernization of distribution networks. This includes the installation of 86,073 new water service connections to broaden the company’s consumer base and the replacement of aging, undersized pipes that contribute to system inefficiencies.
MPW is also intensifying its crackdown on non-revenue water (NRW). By targeting leaks and illegal connections, the utility aims to recover lost volumes, thereby improving water pressure and operational margins without necessarily drawing more from the environment.
Beyond pipe repairs, the company is betting on desalination to decouple its supply chain from rainfall patterns. MPW is accelerating the rollout of facilities capable of converting saltwater into potable water, with a target capacity of 65 million liters per day. This will be supplemented by modular water treatment plants designed to extract 5 million liters per day from localized sources within or near city limits.
The strategy reflects a broader trend among Philippine utilities to move away from a "run-of-river" reliance toward more stable, albeit energy-intensive, technologies. Through these strategic investments in infrastructure modernization and supply augmentation, the company is strengthening system reliability and safeguarding access to clean water as the dry season approaches, Pangilinan said.
MPW currently services approximately 860,000 residents across Iloilo City, Dumaguete City, and seven neighboring municipalities.

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