Metro Dumaguete Water (MDW), a joint venture between Dumaguete City Water District and Metro Pacific Water, has pledged a P524-million investment over the next five years to enhance the city’s water supply infrastructure and service delivery.
“The capital expenditure (CAPEX) program is a key component of the company’s long-term master plan to ensure reliable and affordable water for all residents,” MDW said in a statement.
MDW’s chief operating officer (COO), Robert R. Cabiles, said that the more than P500 million investment will be allocated to four key areas, including service improvements, non-revenue water (NRW) management, source development, and the adoption of new technologies.
Under the CAPEX program, Mr. Cabiles said the utility plans to develop a new pumping station to provide additional water supply to northern barangays, as well as conduct essential pipe improvements to meet population and demand growth.
He noted that although various improvements have been made in recent years, some parts of the city still do not enjoy 24/7 water availability.
“These zones have been identified in our first five years of operations and have been factored into our master plan,” Mr. Cabiles said in a statement.
“The sustainable solutions for these areas have been identified and will be rolled out in the next one to three years,” he added.
The COO also highlighted the utility’s achievements in the past year, including the establishment of two pumping stations and the addition of four kilometers of transmission pipeline. He said that MDW now covers 95% of the city, serving 135,000 residents.
A 24/7 customer service hotline and over 1,000 new payment partners were also implemented and can be accessed by MDW’s customers.
Mr. Cabiles assured the city council that despite substantial capital expenditures, MDW continues to offer a minimum charge of P202.50, noting that it remains one of the most affordable water rates in the province.
MPW, one of the joint-venture partners of MDW, is the water infrastructure investment subsidiary of the Pangilinan-led conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC).
MPIC is one of the three key Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT Inc. Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority share in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Edg Adrian A. Eva
