The Provincial Development Council (PDC) Executive Committee (ExeCom) in its January 30th meeting favorably endorsed to the Regional Development Council the USAID feasibility study (FS) on Bohol Water and Sanitation Project (BWSP).
Engr. Noel Ortigas of the Engineering Development Corporation of the Philippines (EDCoP) presented the report on the BWSP FS to the ExeCom. EDCoP is officially contracted by the United States Agency for International Development or USAID for its Advancing Philippine Competitiveness (COMPETE) Project with grants for a feasibility study of bulk water and sanitation project.
Governor Edgar Chatto informed the body that the provincial government will be deploying its resources to achieve a sustainable, efficient and cheap water supply.
Through the USAID-funded COMPETE Project, the Asia Foundation is providing technical assistance in the procurement of consulting services for the feasibility study of the Bohol Water and Sanitation Project.
The PDC in its December 2016 Full Council meeting approved and adopted the bulk water supply project for a public-private partnership implementation.
According to Engr. Noel Ortigas, the BWSP phase 1 will include the towns of Cortes, Tagbilaran City, Dauis, Panglao and Baclayon, which are within an eco-cultural tourism route that expects an increased demand on water supply in the coming years.
Phase 2 of the bulk water supply project will cover Trinidad, Talibon, Bien Unido, Ubay, Carlos P. Garcia, Dagohoy, San Miguel and other adjacent municipalities.
Once completed, the BWSP is expected to provide enough and continous water supply to the whole province of Bohol.
Gov. Chatto said that the timelines for the completion of the BWSP have been slated in 2019. (with a report from Mike Ligalig)