WORK on the P700 million Cebu Bulk Water Project started yesterday in barangay Cantumog of Carmen town, northern Cebu.
The joint venture between the Cebu provincial government and the Manila Water Consortium is expected to produce 35,000 cubic meters of water per day and supply water in northern and central Cebu.
Carmen town through Mayor Martin Gerard Villamor received P43.65 million from the developers.
Of this amount, P35 million is an advance royalty fee for tapping Carmen’s Luyang River.
Another P6 million is for Luyang watershed protection and P2.65 million for park development and a birthing center in the town.
The joint venture between the Manila Water Consortium and Capitol which is officially called Cebu Manila Water Development, Inc. Capitol will have 41 percent shares in the venture while Manila Water will have 59 percent shares.
Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, Manila Water Consortium chairman Gerardo Ablaza Jr. , Villamor and Provincial Board Member Jude Durano Sybico buried a time capsule to to mark the start of the project after the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement.
“There will be a cooperative foundation between Carmen and certain nominees from the provincial government to Cebu and some representatives from the Consortium that will make sure that the watershed will not be destroyed. We must make sure that water from Carmen is of good quality,” Ablaza said.
Ablaza added they will work with the local government to create the Carmen Development Fund to be funded by a percentage of water tariffs.
As host town, Carmen, a 3rd-class municipality with a population of about 45,000, will be given free 200 cubic meters of water per day.