THE LOCAL government of Baggao in northern Philippines is eyeing to call for bids by mid-November on a P209-million joint venture water supply project, according to the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center.
“Through partnerships between the public sector and qualified and competent private sector entities, the vision is for every Filipino to have access to a sustainable and affordable safe water supply as well as adequate, safely managed sanitation services,” PPP Center Executive Director Ma. Cynthia C. Hernandez said in a statement.
The project was already on the table in 2018 with at least three companies expressing interest to bid. It was submitted to the National Economic and Development Authority-Investment Coordination Committee for a rate-of-return assessment by Dec. 2019.
“However, as the adverse effects of the pandemic continued, the Municipality of Baggao acted on the urgent need to implement the water project and decided to change the legal framework from a BOT (build-operate-transfer) scheme to a Joint Venture Agreement,” the PPP Center said.
The proposed joint venture deal has a 25-year term, including the 1.5 years for project construction.
It will be a level 3 system, which includes source, reservoir, and piped distribution network with treatment facility to household taps.
The project will benefit 24 barangays in Baggao through three independent systems, according to Municipal Engineer Jenison C. Herrera.
Baggao in Cagayan province is classified as a first class municipality with a population of 87,753 as of the 2020 government census. — MSJ
