METROPAC WATER Investments Corp.’s (MPW) proposal to provide bulk water to Pampanga has been accepted by the province’s governor, paving the way for the company to negotiate the details of the project, its parent firm said on Monday.

In a disclosure to the stock exchange, parent company Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) said MPW received the certificate of acceptance and the conferment of the original proponent status for the bulk water supply project from the Office of the Governor of Pampanga Lilia G. Pineda.

The green light comes more than a year and half since MPW submitted the proposal to the province on Dec. 7, 2015.

“Under the Province’s Public-Private Partnership Code, MPW can now proceed to detailed negotiations with the Province for the Project,” MPIC said.

After the negotiations, the bulk water project will be subjected to competitive challenge.

“The Office of the Governor, acting pursuant to the recommendation of the Province’s duly-constituted Public-Private Partnerships Selection Committee (PPP-SC), deemed the proposal complete, beneficial to the Province, and MPW eligible to undertake the activity,” MPIC said.

Last month, MPW officials signed an agreement to form a joint venture company with the Cagayan de Oro water district to undertake the supply of bulk treated water in one of Mindanao’s most populated cities.

MPIC Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan earlier said the holding firm was looking at expanding the reach of its water venture to other countries in Southeast Asia as it looks to take advantage of the expertise gained by subsidiary Maynilad Water Services, Inc.

He said the expansion plan would test the waters and see whether the group could develop a pan-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) water company. He sees the plan to take place within the next two years.

MPIC is one of three key Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT, Inc. Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Victor V. Saulon

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