Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia says complaints about water supply shortage from leaders of various local government units have reached her officer. | CDND File Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu Provincial Government is eyeing to enter into private-public partnerships (PPP) to tap and develop the surface waters of Malubog and Mananga dams in the cities of Toledo and Talisay for bulk water production.
Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said developing new bulk water production plants is the long-term solution to the province’s water shortage.
The governor made the statement in response to the clamor from the cities of Talisay and Mandaue, and the towns of Cordova and Consolacion to address the issue on the shortage of water supply in their areas.
Lawyer Jamaal James Calipayan, Mandaue City administrator, said they have been experiencing lack of water supply in the government offices of Mandaue City since August 2019.
Garcia said the same complaints from Mayor Joannes Alegado and Mayor Gerald Anthony Gullas Jr. have already reached her office.
Garcia said the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) still falls short of around 240,000 cubic meters in the daily demand for the areas where it supplies water.
READ: Garcia’s solution to Metro Cebu’s water woes: Tap south Cebu waterfalls, rivers
This is happening despite the additional 35 million liters of water produced daily in Carmen town from the joint investment agreement (JIA) between the provincial government and Manila Water Consortium.
Garcia said the existing JIA of the province and Manila Water would serve as a template for the new PPP that it eyes to enter in developing water sources.
“We are very much interested to partner with competent companies with integrity,” Garcia said.
The province, however, is yet to determine the possible volume of water that can be produced from the Malubog and Mananga dams should the project push through.
“There is a template. The province is looking at a PPP… the province of Cebu and a private company which has the technical capacity to develop bulk water,” said Garcia.
The P700-million PPP between Cebu province and Manila Water for the development of bulk water from Luyang River in Carmen has 41-59 sharing scheme. / celr