• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Eleven investors attended the pre-bid conference for the proposed Negros Occidental Bulk Water Supply Project (NBWSP) at the Provincial Capitol Social Hall in Bacolod City on Wednesday.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson described its outcome as “successful”.
Lacson said that each of the 11 investors, who bought bidding documents worth P150,000, asked “very intelligent questions”.
“I hope the issues on their minds were clarified. But we are always open to hear them out. We’re positive right now. The day of reckoning is when they drop their bid,” he added.
The companies include the Manila Water Philippine Ventures Inc., Balibago Waterworks System Inc., First Balfour Inc., Prime Water Resources Inc., Bw Water Inc., Aboitiz Infracapital Inc., Primewater Infrastructure Corp., MacroAsia Properties Development Corp., Maynilad Water Services Inc., San Miguel Holdings Corp., and M.E. Sicat Construction Inc.
The provincial government of Negros Occidental seeks to enter into a joint venture agreement with a private investor to fund the P1.2-billion project under a public-private partnership scheme.
The NBWSP involves the financing, engineering design, construction, operation, and maintenance of a bulk water supply system with a minimum capacity of 34.5 million liters per day to be sourced from the Imbang River and Malogo River.
It is expected to supply treated bulk water to six water service providers in the cities of Bacolod, Silay, Talisay and Victorias as well as the municipalities of E.B. Magalona and Manapla.
“I am positive that we will have a successful bidding, which will commence in June this year,” Lacson said.
The signing of the joint venture agreement and water purchase agreement with the winning bidder is being targeted by the provincial government for September this year.
Lacson said they are looking for a partner-investor that can comply with the required 20 million liters per day. | GB
