Laiban Dam project needs to be implemented, says MWSS

MANILA, Philippines - The controversial Laiban Dam project needs to be implemented – at the latest by next year – to prevent a water shortage problem from getting critical.

This was learned yesterday from Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) Administrator Diosdado Jose Allado in an interview with The STAR.

Allado said the Laiban project “has to be done either this year or by 2011 so that it will be completed by 2015.” He said that the MWSS is open to any unsolicited proposal. This includes a “revised” and “more acceptable” proposal from San Miguel, he added.

While the MWSS has rejected the original unsolicited proposal of SMC Bulk Water Corp. Inc. because it failed to address several concerns, the MWSS is not completely shutting the door on SMC, Allado said.

“They can always submit a new proposal that has been revised and is more acceptable and addresses the issues that we have raised,” he added, although he refused to reveal exactly what revisions or provisions SMC or any other interested project proponent should include in their unsolicited proposal.”

“SMC and any other interested group should do their homework and do their due diligence. We won’t make it easy for SMC or any other interested party to submit their unsolicited proposal by telling them exactly what they have to do,” Allado stressed.

As of yesterday, Allado said the MWSS has not received any “feelers” from other interested parties.

“We just announced it (yesterday), but I’m sure someone will show their hand soon,” Allado said.

He said that the Laiban Dam project has to be started this year or at the latest by next year to avert a water shortage by 2016, emphasizing that the project will take at least five years to complete.

Meanwhile, the MWSS board is meeting to look for “stop gap” measures to bridge water supply needs while the dam project is being built from 2011 to 2015, Allado said.