TARLAC, Philippines — The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) has granted Original Proponent Status (OPS) to the consortium of Maynilad Water Services, Inc. and South Korea’s Korea Water Resources Corp. (K-Water) for a PHP14.8-billion water supply and wastewater management project in New Clark City.
In an announcement on Monday, the state-run agency said its board approved the OPS on August 28, following thorough evaluations and negotiations with the joint venture. The unsolicited proposal involves developing an integrated, long-term water and sanitation infrastructure network across the flagship smart metropolis in Central Luzon.
According to the BCDA, the project “is intended to provide reliable utility services while ensuring that wastewater is properly treated in accordance with applicable environmental and wastewater treatment standards, supporting the responsible management of water resources as the metropolis expands.”
The development is slated to proceed through the required government review before being subjected to a Swiss challenge under the public-private partnership (PPP) framework, allowing other qualified private entities to submit competitive bids. BCDA aims to finalize and award the contract by December 2026, subject to the completion of regulatory requirements.
BCDA President and Chief Executive Officer Joshua Bingcang emphasized that establishing essential utilities early is critical to transforming New Clark City into a premier investment and manufacturing hub.
“Growth requires infrastructure that can keep up with it. Water and wastewater are fundamental to that growth; and we want New Clark City to have a system that is reliable, sustainable, and built to meet the needs of the metropolis for the long term,” Bingcang said.
“We are building New Clark City for the decades ahead. That means putting in place the basic systems that will allow businesses to invest, communities to grow and the city to manage its resources responsibly,” Bingcang added.|
