Government pushing through with Kaliwa Dam project – MWSS

MANILA, Philippines — The government is pushing through with the Kaliwa Dam project despite objections from some quarters over questions on the $211-million contract with China and its repercussions on the indigenous peoples community.

Newly appointed Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) administrator Emmanuel Salamat revealed this yesterday at a briefing with the House committee on Metro Manila development on the water situation in the metropolis.

Salamat informed the House panel chaired by Manila 1st district Rep. Manuel Luis Lopez that the construction of the project, officially known as New Centennial Water Supply, will kick off once it secures environmental compliance certificate from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

“We will implement this project as approved by our board of trustees. We are currently complying with the requirements for the project. Right now, we’re waiting for the ECC,” the retired military general told lawmakers.

An ECC is a requirement for any project that has potential risk to the environment.

The MWSS chief also assured lawmakers that concerns raised against the project would be properly addressed.

He cited for instance the issue involving the IP community in Infanta, Quezon that would reportedly be displaced by the project.

“We are conducting public hearings with affected communities and we are addressing their concerns. We want to make sure there will be sustainable plans for communities to ensure their support,” Salamat pointed out.

As to reports that the project did not undergo bidding, Salamat said he has yet to check on all pertinent documents as he assumed the top MWSS post less than a month ago.

“I’m looking at the project itself, but I have yet to see all documentations,” he explained as he appealed for “more time to review” the validity of the contract.

COA clears project

But Commission on Audit representatives in the hearing clarified that the project underwent public bidding – contrary to media reports – and that what they found were only possible irregularities in the compliance to bidding requirements.

The project has also been questioned before the Supreme Court for alleged violations of the 1987 Constitution, in a petition filed by militant lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc last May.

Last year, the MWSS already released an initial P565 million as payment to the Department of Public Works and Highways for road construction.

Of the P12.2-billion construction cost, 85 percent would be funded from official development assistance from China amounting to P10.2 billion, while 15 percent or P2 billion would be shouldered by MWSS.

After 34 years, Kaliwa Dam is set to fully take off following the formal signing of the contract between President Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping last November.

The project, which aims to supply additional 600 million liters of water per day to Metro Manila, will be undertaken by China Energy Engineering Corp.

The construction of the multibillion-peso water project was first approved by NEDA in 2014.

PPP to ODA

The financing scheme for the project was changed in 2017 from a public-private partnership to official development assistance.

At the hearing, Lopez expressed support for the project and cited the need for MWSS to address the water shortage problem in Metro Manila and work on alternative sources of water so as not to depend on Angat Dam alone.

“The water crisis is real and we must fund solutions that are tangible... We have to prevent this recurrence and work hand in hand to build more dam, waste water facilities and water collectors,” he told MWSS officials.

On the other hand, Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon suggested to the MWSS that it consider Laguna de Bay as a possible alternative source of water.

“If we can just clean Laguna Lake up and develop it, it could be not just a source of water supply but also an alternative transportation means between Metro Manila and Rizal,” he said.

At the same hearing, Salamat confirmed that water supply in Metro Manila is now back to normal after the crisis during the second quarter of the year.

He said the water crisis in Metro Manila had affected 5.3 million consumers in 783,153 households in 45 barangays.