Makati City--- The private sector has been urged yesterday for greater participation in the government's water supply development program especially in the funding of bulk supply sources and the protection of watershed areas to ensure the viable and sustainable delivery of safe potable water in the countryside.

Administrator Lorenzo H. Jamora of the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) made the call during the quarterly. meeting of the Management Association of the Philippines -Agri-Business and Countryside Development Foundation (MAP-ABCDF) at the Manila Polo Club here.

Addressing some of the country's top businessmen and executives led by Ramon K. lIusorio and Victor M. Amante, MAP-ABCDF chair and president respectively, Jamora urged them to follow the successful lead taken by the Ayalas in venturing into water supply and sanitation projects in partnership with the government.

In view of the fact that the government, in particular LWUA, has been encouraging the tapping of surface water considering the deteriorating state of
aquifers especially in the fast-growing and industrializing urban areas in the provinces, Jamora urged the private sector to invest in the development of bulk water sources utilizing rivers or lakes to provide sustainable potable water supply to the domestic and commercial/industrial concessionaires in those areas.

He cited the case of Cagayan de Oro City where he said a private consortium is undertaking the development of bulk water source utilizing a river to augment the supply production of the local water district there. He added that a similar venture is being considered for Davao City which dependence on groundwater for supply is now threatened by nearly exhausted aquifer.

Jamora said to facilitate the entry of the private sector in the water supply program of the government, he has asked President Arroyo to place the water sector under just one cabinet cluster for better policy and program coordination and he has also talked with the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) to simplify the procedures in private sector participation in government projects under the BOT and BOO concepts.

Jamora also apprised the group that also included former Manila 3rd District Representative Harry Angping and former Science and technology Secretary Ceferino Follosco of the ongoing LWUA campaign in Congress to have its charter amended to increase its authorized capitalization to P50 Billion and its foreign and local borrowing ceiling to $2 billion and P10 billion, respectively to ensure the availability of soft credit for provincial water supply in the long term.

LWUA chief with management top guns- Administrator Lorenzo H. Jamora (3rd from left), of the Local Water Utilities Administration, yesterday urged businessmen and officers of the Management Association of the Philippines-Agribusiness and Countryside Development Foundation (MAP-ABCDF) to help accelerate the development of water supply for underprivileged citizens in the countryside. Jamora said businessmen can contribute in the proper management and protection of water resource by considering the provincial water supply sector as a new prospect for investment. Also in photo are from left, former Manila Rep. Harry Angping, MAD-ABCDF Chairman Ramon K. Ilusorio, Jamora, former Science & Technology Secretary Ceferino Follosco, and others. Jamora was guest in yesterday's regular meeting of the group held at the Manila Polo Club in Forbes Park, Makati City.
c September 06 , 2006