Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System administrator Reynaldo Velasco said Wednesday the Chinese government committed P10 billion to help fund the Kaliwa Dam project in Quezon province.
Velasco said the financing for the project would now be in the form of official development assistance loan, instead of a public-private partnership scheme.
“It is already under ODA. We are just waiting for the approval of Neda [National Economic and Development Authority]. Hopefully within the year, we will finish the bidding process,” Velasco said at the sidelines of the Water Security Forum Series 4: Averting a Crisis organized by the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines at New World Hotel in Makati City.
The Kaliwa Dam project which has a total cost of P18.75 billion is located at Barangay Pagsangahan, General Nakar and Barangay Magsaysay, Infanta, in Quezon province.
The project involves the construction of a dam with a discharge capacity of 600 million liters per day and a 27.7-kilometer raw water conveyance tunnel with a design capacity of 2.4 million liters per day.
Velasco said the funding for the first phase of the project, the New Centennial Water Source-Kaliwa Dam Project, was submitted to the National Economic and Development Authority on Jan. 17 this year.
The Investment Coordination Committee-Cabinet Committee confirmed the financing shift of the project from PPP to ODA on March 21.
“We have the opportune time under this administration to push for the Laiban and Kaliwa flagship dam projects that will include the possible rehabilitation of the Wawa Dam,” Velasco said.
Velasco earlier said the MWSS board was hopeful that Laiban Dam would be implemented during President Duterte’s term.
The dam would act as a catch basin as well as flood control mechanism to moderate the flow of runoff surface water and prevent sudden flooding in Metro Manila’s lower reaches and environs, he said.