The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Tuesday bared more than 60 letters of interest from private investors looking to exploit the first batch of water rights that should benefit 78 of the country’s local government units (LGUs). A total 135 such rights are up for grabs under the initial batch.
Carlos Primo David, DENR undersecretary, at the investment forum co-organized by the Department of Finance and the Department of Agriculture in Pasay City, said this batch of water rights relate to 78 LGUs around the country with a population of 200,000 that include the cities of Bacolod, Iloilo, Tarlac, Tagum, Naga, Butuan and General Santos.
This initial batch also include the LGUs of Baliuag, Daet, Laoag, Koronadal, Capas, Tuguegarao and Tayabas which have a population of more than 100,000 and the LGUs of Kalibo, Surallah, Roxas, Sablayan, Cabadbaran, Prosperidad and Asingan with a population of more than 50,000 individuals.
The DENR did not say when the private interests will be reviewed and the fortunate investors awarded with water rights contracts.
Earlier, the DENR said investor interest in water rights development may be unsolicited. The program will also replicate the model used in securing the proponent of the Bulacan bulk water project.
The DENR said proponents will be selected not by how much they can give the government but by how cheaply they can provide water to beneficiary local government units.
David also said an additional 112 water rights topping the first batch of 135 are also being offered to investors.
Also, the second batch of water rights are comparably smaller projects producing less than 173 million liters per day.
“They are smaller but there is still excess water supply nonetheless, and some are even okay for energy generation or hydro. In the datasets we provide, we include the nearest LGU and population,” David said.
“We also provide catchment information and elevation for those interested in power generation or whether water is located in a protected area or in an area with indigenous peoples. There are also computations on the availability of water,” David said.
