This was announced by SUBICWATER President and CEO Apollo Tiglao in the media forum organized by the Samahan ng mga Mamamahayag sa Subic Bay Freeport (SMSBF) on Wednesday in this free port.

Chief among SUBICWATER’s project this year, according to Tiglao, is the P44.7-million sewerage system project for the Boton area of Subic Bay Freeport.

“The Boton project is part of our Sewerage Masterplan that was created in as early as 2006. As we have projected long ago, businesses will thrive there, and the area will need a new sewerage system complete with a dedicated sewage treatment plant (STP),” said Tiglao.

Aside from the Boton project, Tiglao said SUBICWATER will invest P8.82-million on new sewage conveyance pipes in the central business district of this free port, a P9.8-million to construct two pump stations for its newly-developed well in the former Naval Magazine area, and a P1.2-million worth of new water pipelines in the airport area.

In Olongapo City, meanwhile, the private firm is keen on investing P38.6-million on new water distribution lines, P11-million on two new wells in Barangay New Cabalan, and P1.48-million to replace a portion of its raw water line in Barangay Sta. Rita to ensure continues supply to the city treatment plant especially during summer.

“As you can see, the two wells we will start developing this year will serve the few remaining Olongapo communities without piped water, as they are located at the highest points of the mountains surrounding the city proper,” Tiglao said.

The company, however, faces problems on the identified well sites in Iram and at Jaena Lopez Street, particularly on lot acquisition issues, and Tiglao hopes that the city administration will assist SUBICWATER in these matters.

“We want to finish these wells as soon as possible to solve the communities’ need for safe and reliable water supply, especially during summer— we are ready to start the well drilling anytime,” he said.

SUBICWATER’s total capital expenditures since 1997 now total to more than P1.5 billion, according to Tiglao. In the years 2011-2013 alone, the company allotted P605-million for infrastructure development.

“Since SUBICWATER is operating under a build-operate-and transfer (BOT) setup, all of our facilities, along with the improvements we have infused throughout the course of our operations, will be given back to Olongapo City and SBMA after our franchise term,” he said.

SUBICWATER implemented the first BOT scheme for a water and sewerage system in the Philippines and in Southeast Asia when it started operations here in 1997.

The firm, which was formed by a joint-venture agreement in 1996, is owned by Filipino construction firm DM Consunji Inc. (DMCI), Singaporean water specialist Sembcorp Industries Ltd. (Sembcorp), Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), and Maynilad Water Services Inc.