By Sarwell Meniano – PNA News
TACLOBAN CITY — Two developers won the contract for the nearly PHP495-million water project meant for post-“Yolanda” resettlement sites in the northern part of the city.
Leyte Metropolitan Water District (LMWD) information officer Ma. Teresa Pascua said the LMWD technical working group found the two contractors to be qualified to design and build the long-term project after a one-month scrutiny.
On Wednesday, the water district’s bids and awards committee issued the notice of award to the two developers. The water district held the bidding on Oct. 30.
The two winning bidders are the Cebu-based Mactan Rock Industries, Inc. and the Pangasinan-based TGV Builders, Inc. The developers entered a joint venture to implement the much-awaited project.
“The target is to implement the project within the year or January 2019 but it depends if the management will approve the design. The developers are done with site inspection as part of their design-making activity,” Pascua said.
Once the design is approved, the contract signing and issuance of notice to proceed will follow.
The project includes two areas. The first one is the PHP404.8-million project to extend water distribution pipes, develop two new sources in the city’s northern villages, set up and repair old pumping stations, set up a new reservoir, and rehabilitate the existing reservoir.
The other phase is the PHP90-million project intended to rehabilitate the city’s water pipes.
“If we will be able to replace old pipes and stop systems losses, it will increase water pressure to the northern area,” Pascua added.
Earlier, the Local Water Utilities Authority (LWUA) agreed to delegate its authority to implement the project to the LMWD after failure of biddings early this year.
LWUA, a state-run corporation based in Quezon City, has no office in the provinces.
The LWUA and LMWD signed a memorandum of agreement for the transfer of funds in response to the request of the city government to pass the responsibility of supervising the project from the national government to the local water district.
Pascua expressed optimism that the water supply project would be fast-tracked as concerned agencies signed a memorandum of agreement in 2016 to help carry out the long-term water supply project.
The signatories were key officials of LWUA, National Housing Authority, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), LMWD, and Tacloban’s city government. The MOA also identified and delineated the roles of each agency.
During the 3rd commemoration of supertyphoon “Yolanda” on Nov. 8, 2016, President Rodrigo Duterte directed concerned national government officials to do everything they can to provide water for relocation sites.
As a short-term solution, the LMWD, DPWH, and city government have been delivering water to resettlement sites.
The government aims to move 14,000 families from danger zones to the resettlement sites. Thousands of housing units have been awarded, but some families have refused to stay in the relocation sites due to water supply problems.
