A consortium led by Maynilad Water Services Inc. and Korea Water Resources Corp. (K-Water) has secured original proponent status for a proposed P14.8-billion water supply and wastewater management project in New Clark City, moving the long-term utility project into the next stage of the public-private partnership process.
The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) Board granted the consortium original proponent status on Aug. 28 after evaluating and negotiating the proposal. K-Water is South Korea’s state-owned water utility.
The proposed project is designed to meet growing water and wastewater requirements as New Clark City attracts more residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial developments.
It would provide water supply services and establish wastewater treatment facilities that meet environmental standards, while building utility capacity needed by industries that require reliable and uninterrupted services.
These include advanced manufacturing facilities, data centers, and other high-value investments, where water and wastewater infrastructure can be as important as roads and power supply.
“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,” BCDA President and CEO Joshua Bingcang said.
The public utility component of the project will be operated by a duly qualified entity.
Original proponent status, however, does not amount to a final contract award.
The proposal must first complete the required government approvals before proceeding to a Swiss challenge, under which other qualified private-sector groups may submit competing proposals for the project.
The original proponent will then have the opportunity to match a superior competing offer under the rules governing unsolicited public-private partnership proposals.
BCDA is targeting a contract award by December 2026, subject to the outcome of the competitive process and the completion of regulatory approvals and other conditions.
The project highlights the infrastructure requirements facing New Clark City as development accelerates. Building new districts is one challenge. Ensuring that water systems can support the residents, businesses, factories, and technology-intensive industries moving into them is another.
For BCDA, the proposed P14.8-billion project is intended to address both sides of that equation before utility constraints become a problem rather than a planning consideration.
