Ayala Land Inc. is turning to seawater desalination to strengthen water security at Lio Estate in El Nido, Palawan, as the tourism and lifestyle destination prepares for further residential, commercial and hospitality development.
A seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) facility with capacity to produce up to 500 cubic meters of potable water a day is expected to begin operations in August 2027. The plant will supplement Lio’s existing groundwater wells and provide another source of supply as water demand rises across the estate.
The project will support upcoming developments including the Balai Adlao Expansion, Tara Hostel, estate support facilities, additional retail offerings and Sitio Aplaya, Lio’s newest residential-commercial district.
“As Lio continues to grow, we want to make sure our infrastructure is always a step ahead of demand, not catching up to it,” Cris Zuluaga, head of Ayala Land Leisure Estates, said.
Estate Water, a division of Manila Water Philippine Ventures Inc., will develop and operate the facility. The treated water is expected to comply with Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water and other applicable regulatory requirements.
Beyond adding production capacity, desalination will diversify Lio’s water sources and reduce its reliance on groundwater. That could provide greater supply resilience during periods of peak demand while easing pressure on existing groundwater resources.
“The SWRO facility provides an additional source of supply that will strengthen Lio’s overall water security and help ensure greater reliability, particularly during periods of increased demand,” said Rubenson Cruz, Estate Water’s technical services head.
The investment reflects the growing role of utility infrastructure in supporting large-scale tourism developments, particularly in destinations where population and visitor growth can put additional pressure on local water resources.
For Lio, the desalination project is intended to provide additional capacity ahead of planned expansion while supporting the estate’s longer-term development in El Nido.
