• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Following the extension of the bidding deadline for the P1.2 billion bulk water project of the Negros Occidental provincial government, Provincial Legal Officer Atty. Alberto Nellas disclosed yesterday that two more firms are interested to join the bidding set on October 28 this year.
“All systems go for the Oct. 28 bidding,” Nellas declared yesterday, who also reported that they recently finished consultations with the bidders, with regards to details of the project.
The Negros Occidental Bulk Water Supply Project (NBWSP) involves the financing, engineering design, construction, operation, and maintenance of a bulk water supply system with a minimum capacity of 34.5 million liters/day (MLD), to be sourced from the Imbang River and/or Malogo River.
It is expected to supply treated bulk water to six water service providers in the Negros Occidental cities of Bacolod, Silay, Talisay, and Victorias, and the municipalities of Manapla and EB Magalona.
The project shall be implemented through a joint venture agreement (JVA) with the provincial government for a period of 38 years, inclusive of the construction period.
The municipalities of Manapla and E.B. Magalona, cities of Victorias, Talisay, and the highly urbanized city of Bacolod, have already issued a RONO (Resolution of No Objection) to the Capitol Bulk Water Project. Only Silay City has not issued a RONO.
With or without the Silay RONO, Nellas said the project will continue.
Mayor Joedith Gallego earlier said that they are not in favor of the move of the provincial government to tap the surface water of Imbang River, claiming that it will affect their sources of water.
Based on the certificate of water availability issued by NWRB, about 100 million liters per day (MLD) will be sourced from the Malogo River, and 34 to 36 MLD will be generated from the Imbang River, Provincial Government Focal Person for Public Private Partnership projects, Atty. Jessa Genteroles disclosed earlier.
While the Malogo River is the main intake point, Nellas said they included Imbang River because of its proximity to cities of Silay, Talisay, and Bacolod.
Even without water from the Imbang River, he admitted they already have enough water from the Malogo River for the Capitol Bulk Water project.*