MAYNILAD Water Services, Inc. is ramping up its sustainability initiatives to reach carbon neutrality in the coming years.
“We have already commissioned a 1-megawatt (MW) solar panel in our La Mesa treatment plant. We’ve already constructed another 1 MW within the compound also. It will be commissioned in the succeeding months,” Ronald C. Padua, Maynilad’s head of supply operations, told reporters last week.
According to its website, the company is aiming to become climate neutral by 2037.
Mr. Padua said the company is looking at installing solar panels in open spaces within water reservoirs, and gradually shifting its vehicle fleet to electric vehicles (EVs).
Roel S. Espiritu, Maynilad’s quality, sustainability and resiliency head, said the company is aiming to fully transition to EVs by 2037. At least half of its vehicles are now EVs.
“We are also very aggressive with reforestation,” Mr. Espiritu said.
“We are particularly looking at Ipo for reforestation [and] carbon sequestration,” he said, referring to the reservoir from which the company sources raw water for treatment.
Maynilad serves Manila, except some portions it, as well as Quezon City, Makati, Caloocan, Pasay, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Valenzuela, Navotas, and Malabon. It also serves Cavite areas.
Metro Pacific Investments Corp., which has a majority stake in Maynilad, is one of three Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT Inc.
Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has an interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Ashley Erika O. Jose