PSAC: Privatize rural water utilities

The Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) recommended to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. the speedy privatization of water distribution in the provinces and new metropolitan areas.

In a statement yesterday, PSAC lead convenor and Aboitiz Group president Sabin Aboitiz said privatization will bring cost-efficient services.

“By focusing on affordable energy and a reliable water supply, we aim to create a foundation for long-term development that benefits every Filipino. The private sector stands ready to collaborate with the government by sharing its expertise, resources, and innovative solutions to make these goals a reality,” he said in a recent meeting with Marcos.

“The Council also urged the government to expedite the privatization of water utilities in other metropolitan centers facing water supply challenges, following the successful model in Metro Manila. This move would improve water distribution systems, reduce non-revenue water losses, and streamline permit processing,” he added.

To ensure a reliable water supply and recycling, PSAC said it supports the construction and operation of flood control basins along 88 rivers in the country based on data from the Integrated Water Resources Management Office (IWRMO) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Marcos administration’s infrastructure flagship projects.

According to the National Water Resources Board, around 11 million families do not have potable water.

“PSAC proposed to the President that the IWRMO study the feasibility of improving water service levels in the provinces, balancing investment needs with efforts to expand coverage and enhance service quality,” the private sector-led council said.

“What I’m excited about is that airports are notorious for flooded runways. So how can we reuse that water so that we remove the flooding problems and at the same time reuse it,” Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc. president and chief executive officer Cosette Canilao said in a separate forum with the British Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines early this year.