Aboitiz InfraCapital pushes urgent water solutions for W. Visayas
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ABOITIZ InfraCapital, Inc. President & CEO Cosette V. Canilao
Photo courtesy of Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc
ABOITIZ INFRACAPITAL BATS FOR URGENT WATER INVESTMENTS IN WESTERN VISAYAS. (From left) Iloilo Business Club (IBC) President Emil S. Diez, AIC President & CEO Cosette V. Canilao, DEPDev Region VI Director Engr. Arecio A. Casing, Jr., and IBC Vice President Ma. Luisa C. Segovia at the Water Dialogue in Iloilo City last June 19, 2025. In her speech, Canilao sounded off on the private sector’s call for collaboration and action to collectively and constructively address the region’s water woes.
Photo courtesy of Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc.
Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc. subsidiary Apo Agua Infrastructura, Inc. General Manager Ronnie D. Lim
Photo courtesy of Aboitiz InfraCapital
As Western Visayas faces growing water insecurity amid rapid economic growth, Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc. (AIC) is calling for immediate and coordinated action to boost infrastructure and attract long-term investments in the region’s water sector.
AIC, through its water subsidiary Apo Agua Infrastructura Inc., joined policymakers, business leaders, and civil society organizations at the Water Dialogue 2025 held last 19 June in Iloilo City. Organized by the Iloilo Business Club with support from the Region VI Regional Development Council and co-presented by AIC, the event focused on integrated water resource management under the theme: “Water We Waiting For?”
During the first plenary, AIC President and CEO Cosette Canilao stressed the urgency of future-proofing Iloilo’s water systems: “Where water flows, progress follows. And if there’s one thing the present demands of us, it’s this — we must not wait.”
Canilao cited AIC’s flagship project in Davao — the Davao City Bulk Water Supply Project (DCBWSP) — as a model for sustainable, conflict-free delivery. Operated by Apo Agua, the project produces 300 million liters of potable water daily, serving over a million Davaoeños 24/7. The setup separates water production from distribution, enhancing transparency and performance.
Crucially, the project design separates bulk water production from distribution, where AIC handles the former while DCWD manages the latter. This clear division of responsibilities avoids conflicts of interest and enhances performance transparency in the country’s largest bulk water supply project, Canilao explained.
“This is not just innovation, this is governance,” Canilao said. “It’s a model that can work — not just in Davao, but in Iloilo, and beyond.”
She emphasized the need for redundancy and diversity in providers to avoid dependence and improve quality. She also praised the newly amended PPP law for encouraging private-sector partners to invest capital and assume risk, rather than act as intermediaries.
Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas echoed the urgency, saying, “We need water not tomorrow—we needed water yesterday.” Treñas backed stronger public-private partnerships for long-term solutions.
Iloilo Provincial Administrator Raul Banias, speaking on behalf of Governor Arthur Defensor Jr., revealed that nearly half of Ilonggo households still lack access to clean water. He noted that the province has allocated ₱70 million to improve rural water systems.
Canilao called for stronger coordination between local governments and national agencies like the National Water Resources Board, the Department of Finance, and the PPP Center. “Top-down and bottom-up must converge,” she said, underscoring the importance of LGUs’ proximity to community needs.
During the “Lightning Talks” segment, Apo Agua General Manager Ronnie Lim detailed how the DCBWSP’s water-energy nexus — using water for both hydropower and potable supply — transformed Davao’s water access. By the end of 2024, the project had helped expand the Davao City Water District’s coverage to 96 percent and earned a 99.6 percent customer satisfaction rating.
The Water Dialogue 2025 served as a platform for knowledge exchange and renewed calls for public-private synergy in delivering clean, sustainable water to communities across Western Visayas.
