Boracay Water to spend P1.1-B to intensify water and wastewater services in Boracay Island

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Boracay Water, an operating unit of Manila Water under its subsidiary Manila Water Philippine Ventures will invest P1.1-B for the implementation of water and wastewater projects under its 2021-2025 Service Improvement Plan.

Boracay Water, a subsidiary of Manila Water Philippine Ventures and a concessionaire of Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), has allotted P1.1-B for its 2021-2025 Service Improvement Plan, to intensify water and wastewater service improvement in Boracay Island and ensure compliance to its regulatory Service Obligations.

Tourism is the key driver of Boracay Island to sustain its economic development. Despite the island’s closure in 2018 and the COVID-19 pandemic paralyzing island operations in 2020, the Company remained steadfast to its commitment in providing reliable and quality water and wastewater services to Boracay Island’s locals, tourists and commercial and industrial establishments. As the pandemic restrictions ease up, tourist arrival in the island increased by 434%: a total of 1,759,100 million tourists in 2022, compared to 330,622 total visitors in 2021.

Following Manila Water Company’s model in operating and providing service to its customers, Boracay Water aligned its 5-year Service Improvement Plan with the Four Pillars of Sustainability: Water Security, Service Accessibility, Service Continuity, and Environmental Sustainability.

For the next 3 years, Boracay Water will upgrade and rehabilitate Nabaoy and Caticlan pumping stations, Caticlan Water Treatment Plant, and its water network to ensure that the water supply and distribution system of the Company will continue to deliver 24/7 quality water supply even in the event of a natural calamity, such as typhoons and earthquakes. In addition, under the Company’s social flagship program “Tubig Para sa Barangay”, which aims to provide sustainable water to low-income households, a water pipelaying project in Barangay Yapak costing P1.2-M started in January 2023 where 160 households will benefit.

Included in the project line-up are water network rehabilitation projects and the upgrading of the Manocmanoc Sewage Treatment Plant (pictured above).

On wastewater management, Boracay Water is currently upgrading its Sewage Treatment Plants (STP) in Barangay Balabag and Manocmanoc to comply with the requirements mandated by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Administrative Order (DAO) 2021-19. The DAO 2021-19 covers the updating of the general effluent standards for the following parameters: Ammonia as NH3-N, fecal coliform, and phosphate as phosphorus.

To provide support to the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) and the Local Government Unit of Malay on the implementation of the Republic Act 9275 or the Clean Water Act, Boracay Water has allotted P108-M to provide free mandatory sewer connection to 1,860 households residing within 100 meters from the available sewer network starting this year. This is to ensure that the wastewater will be treated before being discharged to the water bodies in Boracay in compliance with the DENR Class SB Standards. Boracay Water also encourages establishments that are within 100 meters to connect to the available sewer network of the company to ensure sustainability and protection of the island’s pristine beaches.

The Company also prioritizes the protection of the environment through its Highland to Ocean (H2O) program. This environmental program aims to protect the Nabaoy River and Watershed which is the lone source of water of the Boracay Island. To date, 40 hectares of land comprising the watershed have been adopted for appropriate management and 33,320 trees have been committed for planting in the next 5 years.


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