Aboitiz gets original proponent status for Iloilo bulk water project
Aboitiz InfraCapital
MANILA, Philippines — Aboitiz InfraCapital, the infrastructure arm of the Aboitiz Group, has received Original Proponent Status (OPS) for its proposal to supply Iloilo with 86 million liters of bulk water per day.
“This is a major step forward in strengthening Iloilo’s water security and infrastructure resilience. 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,” Aboitiz InfraCapital president and CEO Cosette Canilao said in a press statement on Wednesday.
Aboitiz InfraCapital received the OPS for the Iloilo Bulk Water Supply PPP project in a ceremony at Iloilo City Hall on May 15.
OPS is granted to the proponent of an unsolicited public-private partnership (PPP) proposal after successful negotiation with the implementing agency.
After awarding the OPS, the unsolicited project is still subject to a Swiss Challenge stage, in which other bidders can submit competitive proposals. The OPS holder, however, has the right to match the best proposal of challengers.
Track record
Aboitiz InfraCapital’s water subsidiary, Apo Agua Infrastructura Inc., jointly operates with the Davao City Water District the Davao City Bulk Water Supply Project, the country’s largest bulk water supply facility, which delivers 300 million liters of clean and potable water daily.
READ: Aboitiz on the prowl for more water projects
In his remarks, Mayor Treñas emphasized the need for water redundancy as a critical component of Iloilo City’s economic expansion.
In 2023, Iloilo City was named Western Visayas’ fastest-growing economy after posting a 10.5-percent increase in its gross domestic product, fueled by a robust services sector.
“The need for water is really tremendous. And we can see that even with a desalination plant —because of rapid growth—we will continue to need additional water,” Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas said. – Doris Dumlao-Abadilla
READ: Water distributor scrambles for short-term fix as Iloilo water woes rise
