WEST ZONE concessionaire Maynilad Water Services, Inc. is setting aside P5.7 billion as capital expenditure (capex) budget for new water treatment facilities to produce nearly 97 million liters per day.
“Ang capex na binudget namin diyan (The capex that we budgeted) to produce close to 97 million liters per day is 5.7 billion [pesos],” Maynilad President and Chief Executive Officer Ramoncito S. Fernandez told reporters in a chance interview last week.
“[The project is in] phases as it is tied with the wastewater treatment plant so what is laid out now that is starting is in Valenzuela, by the end of the year, and then next year would be in Pasay,” he added.
The new facilities are part of the company’s “new water” project that was launched in July last year starting in Parañaque City. The project aims to convert treated used water from sewerage treatment plants into potable water.
In June, Maynilad received a permanent operational permit from the Department of Health for its “new water” treatment plant in Parañaque City.
Asked about the ease in securing a permit for the facilities, he said: “That’s what we believe so because this is first in the Philippines, first in Asia.”
He said at first, the company struggled to convince regulators, but the project was accepted after efforts to gain public acceptance.
Mr. Fernandez said that after proving the project’s safety and “that it can be done scientifically, the adoption of the others should be faster.”
The project seeks to generate additional water supply in response to growing demand.
Meanwhile, Maynilad said over the weekend that it started the pilot use of electric vehicles (EVs) in its operations in transition to “green” transportation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The concessionaire plans to eventually shift 50% of its fleet into EVs or 413 units by 2037.
According to Maynilad, an initial batch of three EVs had been turned over for use this year while another set of 41 units will be made available over the next five years.
The EVs were supplied by eSakay, Inc., a subsidiary of Manila Electric Co.
Maynilad serves Manila, except portions of San Andres and Sta. Ana. It also operates in Quezon City, Makati, Caloocan, Pasay, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Valenzuela, Navotas, and Malabon.
It also supplies the cities of Cavite, Bacoor, and Imus, and the towns of Kawit, Noveleta, and Rosario, all in Cavite province.
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. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera