President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday commended the swift completion of the Wawa Bulk Water Supply Project (WBWSP) Phase 2 dam component.
The project made a significant stride in ensuring sustainable water supply in Metro Manila and adjacent areas.
“It is commendable that it was completed with remarkable speed despite the COVID-19 pandemic which slowed down the progress of projects and industries during the time that this was being built,” President Marcos said during the impounding process ceremony of the Upper Wawa Dam in Montalban, Rizal.
“Having been accomplished a year ahead of schedule, this monumental development has set a new standard for infrastructure projects of similar magnitude in terms of scale and impact,” he added.
Construction works for the project component were completed on March 30 this year, while its initial water impounding started on May 30, 2024.
President Marcos recognized the contribution of the private sector. He said the project is the fruit of collaboration between the private sector and the government.
“Not only are these projects truly representative of what the government is working on to achieve infrastructure resilience, but this initiative also brings the most effective practices on environmental preservation,” the President said.
“Indeed, the fruit of your meaningful collaboration — the Upper Wawa Dam — is a groundbreaking achievement not only in providing a basic need [to] millions of Filipinos, but also in easing concerns on climate-change-related challenges, such as we have just gone through with the El Niño,” he added.
The PhP26.5-billion Public-Private Partnership (PPP) venture undertaken by the government with Prime Infrastructure Capital, Inc. and San Lorenzo Ruiz Builders and Developers Group is slated to be fully completed and operational in December 2025.
Once completed, this would increase water supply within the service area of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) from 80 million liters per day (MLD) to 438. This may increase up to 710 MLD in the following years, including the 80 MLD from the Tayabasan Weir.
“These 438 to 710 million liters per day translate to supporting the water supply needs of about 2.2 to 3.5 million Filipinos in the MWSS service area,” President Marcos said.
The other components underway include the construction of pump station, access tunnel, and conveyance pipeline. According to MWSS, these components are 69.68 percent accomplished as of May 31, 2024.
The Wawa Dam is the biggest water source to be built in the country in over 50 years, next to the Angat Dam. *PND*
