By Brian Campued
“Water is a lifeline for our communities and every Filipino deserves dependable access to it.”
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday underscored the importance of the Angat Water Transmission Improvement Project (AWTIP) in ensuring that Filipinos have dependable access to water, a notable step towards achieving water security in the “Bagong Pilipinas”.
During the inauguration of the AWTIP Tunnel No. 5 at the Bigte Basin in Barangay Bigte, Norzagaray, Bulacan, the President said that nearly 90% of water used by almost 20 million residents in Metro Manila and nearby provinces pass through the Angat tunnels.
“These numbers show how important it is to keep the Angat system strong, reliable, and future-ready,” he said.
Marcos Jr. noted that Tunnel No. 5 can carry over 1.6 billion liters of water daily, boosting the system’s transport capacity from 6 billion to almost 8 billion liters per day.
“Ibig sabihin, mas maraming pamilya ang magkakaroon ng tuloy-tuloy at maaasahang suplay ng tubig sa kanilang mga tahanan,” he said.
The improved water transmission, according to the President, would not only strengthen the decades-old Umiray-Angat-Ipo-La Mesa system but would also help communities prepare for droughts and other effects of climate change.
Led by the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), in partnership with water concessionaires Manila Water and Maynilad, the project is located from Ipo Dam to the Bigte Basin.
With its raw water conveyance tunnel designed to carry up to 1,642 million liters per day, the Angat water tunnel project is expected to reduce vulnerability to water supply disruptions amid seismic and other natural hazards.
Meanwhile, the Chief Executive lauded the coordinated efforts among the national government, local government units, and the private sector, which led to the realization of the water tunnel project.
“Let us continue working together—government, private sector, and citizens alike—to shape a nation where progress is shared, where communities are empowered, and where our daily needs are truly met,” Marcos said.
-jpv
