Apo Agua plans recovery for delayed P12-B water project

DAVAO CITY — Aboitiz-led Apo Agua Infrastructura Inc. is finalizing a recovery plan to get back on track the completion of its P12-billion bulk water supply project in Davao City that has been affected by quarantine restrictions.

Apo Agua General Manager Cirilo C. Almario III, in an email interview Monday, said while they are assessing the delay on the project’s timeline, they are also working on new protocols when construction activities resume.

“We are ascertaining when we can resume full construction activities, while putting in place the appropriate health and safety protocols,” he said.

Davao City is the only locality in Mindanao that was declared by the national government as still at high risk of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and will remain under the strict enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) guidelines until May 15.

Under the local ECQ rules, all construction activities not related to the public health emergency have been halted.

Mr. Almario said Apo Agua, a joint venture of Aboitiz Equity Ventures and JV Angeles Construction Corp. (JVACC), is also “evaluating the full impact of the pandemic on its critical value chains from labor to subcontractors and suppliers.”

“The company is also proactively working with JVACC and its project partner, the Davao City Water District (DCWD), to mitigate the adverse effect of COVID-19 to the project and to recover as quickly as possible,” he said.

The project, which will source water from the Tamugan River and supply at least 300 million liters per day to DCWD, was scheduled to be completed by June 2021.

DCWD Spokesperson Bernardo D. Delima Jr. earlier said the bulk water supply will meet demand projections, which takes into consideration the completion of 68 high-rise buildings and 63 residential subdivisions in the city. — Carmelito Q. Francisco