ILOILO CITY -- The city government here Thursday welcomed the launch of the PHP500-million water system project of the South Balibago Resources, Inc. (SBRI) in Jaro district.
In his message, Mayor Jose Espinosa III said “lengthy discussions” were made prior to the granting of the franchise to SBRI to operate a water system in Jaro by the Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Council).
Espinosa said the SBRI lodged its application at the council when he was still vice mayor.
Iloilo City is included in the franchise area of the Metro Iloilo Water District (MIWD) that also covers seven other municipalities of the province.
“I was of the opinion that under the present state, we should have water in Iloilo City because MIWD is only serving 21 percent of the total requirement of this city and we are expanding,” the mayor said. “Water is a very vital resource that we should have in our communities, and to a booming city like ours.”
The PHP500-million project covered a 10,000-cubic-meter-per-day water treatment plant in Barangay Bongco, Pototan; a 17-km. primary transmission line; and 100 km. of distribution pipelines in 34 subdivisions and three barangays of Jaro.
The current plant can serve 12,000 households and establishments.
Criselle P. Alejandro, SBRI president, said they decided to start with Jaro because MIWD has no pipeline in the area.
“We decided to start with Jaro district so that we are not directly competing with them. I know they have some pipelines here but on the main roads and the subdivisions where they do have pipelines, we do not enter those,” she said.
Right now, the “energized” barangays are Buntatala, Tagbak, Camalig and Balantang. Water is also readily available in the city’s relocation site, Barangay Buntatala Zone 3, Sta. Rosa Subdivision, Landheights Ville Subdivision, Landheights 3 Phase 1, Landheights Phase 2, San Jose Subdivision, Lauan-Village, Dolmax Subdivision, Aseco Subdivision, and Villa Ofelia Subdivision.
“We are continuously expanding to the other barangays from this point onwards,” she added.
The plant will be increased to 20 million liters per day in the future to serve some 24,000 households.
On the other hand, Angel Gomez Reino, country manager of INCLAM South East Asia, the firm that constructed the treatment plant, assured the quality of the water.
“We are very confident that our technology will prove that the quality of water that comes from the Jalaur River is properly treated. The households and final customers in Jaro district will not only have high-quality service but also high-quality water,” he said.
The SBRI is selling its water to residential areas at PHP357.50 per 10 cubic meters.
SBRI is a partnership between the Balibago Waterworks System, Inc. and the La Filipina Uy Gongco Corp. (PNA)
https://thedailyguardian.net/local-news/firm-starts-supplying-water-in-jaro-district/
http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1048668
https://www.bworldonline.com/jaro-iloilo-city-gets-water-supply/