DENR says gov’t fast-tracking bidding for Cavite bulk water project

THE GOVERNMENT is fast-tracking the bidding process for the Cavite-wide Bulk Water Supply Project contract, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said.

“We are in the process now of consolidating all the dams and then have one supplier for the whole province, that is the Cavite bulk. We have transferred the rights to Cavite and they will do the PPP (public–private partnership),” Environment Undersecretary Carlos Primo C. David told reporters on the sidelines of  Israel-Philippines Water technology innovations forum on Thursday.

The DENR has already turned over the rights for the project to the Cavite government as it is poised to conduct the competitive bidding for the project within the year.

“For now there are studies that need to be done very soon. We will request for proposals,” he said. 

The project aims to consolidate all 18 dams in Cavite into one bulk water supplier for the whole province of Cavite.

“We have 18 dams in Cavite. So what we will do is consolidate all the dams and then only have one supplier for the whole province.  We have already transferred, assigned the rights to Cavite and they will now do the public–private partnership,” he said.

The project serves as an augmentation measure to meet the growing supply demand in the province, Mr. David said, adding that the project would increase its current supply by 30%. 

The Cavite Bulk Water Supply project is considered a massive project as it will be a provincial-wide water supply system, he said. — Ashley Erika O. Jose