Metro Pacific Water marks 15th year with P23-billion 5-year investment plan

Metro Iloilo Bulk Water Supply Corporation’s (MIB) water treatment facility in Sta. Barbara, Iloilo, supplies 50 MLD of treated water to Metro Pacific Iloilo Water (MPIW) using raw water sourced from the Tigum-Aganan Watershed.

Investments to support new water sources, non-revenue water reduction, infrastructure rehabilitation, and service improvements across MPW’s portfolio

Metro Pacific Water (MPW), a wholly owned subsidiary of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC),  is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year with plans to invest approximately P23 billion over the next five years across its water businesses in the Philippines and Vietnam. 

“When we started Metro Pacific Water 15 years ago, our goal was to help build a more water-secure future for the communities we serve. That mission has only become more urgent today. Water security is economic security, and this P23-billion investment is our commitment to building the infrastructure the next generation will depend on,” said Andrew B. Pangilinan, MPW President and CEO.

The P23-billion investment program will support projects across MPW’s portfolio, including developing new water sources, treatment and distribution infrastructure, network rehabilitation, non-revenue water reduction, pipeline repairs and technologies designed to improve the reliability and efficiency of water systems.

MPW currently serves approximately 221,000 households across Iloilo, Dumaguete and San Jose del Monte, Bulacan. Through joint ventures with local water districts, it also operates bulk water suppliers including Metro Iloilo Bulk Water Supply Corp. and Cagayan de Oro Bulk Water Inc. (COBI).

Outside the Philippines, MPW provides water to industrial zones in Nghe An, Vietnam’s largest province, through subsidiaries Tuan Loc Water Resources Investment Joint Stock Company and Phu Ninh Water.

“As we build stronger regional water operations in Southeast Asia, our investment improves our ability to expand capacity and pursue new opportunities where reliable water infrastructure is increasingly critical. Our cross-country experience has allowed us to combine local operating experience with technologies and solutions that can be deployed across different markets,” said Andrew Pangilinan, MPW President and CEO.

Across its operating portfolio, MPW currently has a combined installed water production and treatment capacity of approximately 798 million liters per day (MLD), up 20% from 667 MLD in 2025. The increase reflects the rehabilitation and optimization of existing facilities, reactivation of underutilized assets, and development of additional water sources.

MPW has been deploying innovative modular treatment technologies, including brackish water reverse osmosis (BWRO) and seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) systems, to augment supply in water-scarce areas and locations with challenging raw water characteristics. These solutions allow additional sources to be developed more quickly while larger and longer-term infrastructure projects are being undertaken.

In Iloilo, MPW increased available water supply from 73 MLD in 2024 to 80 MLD in 2026. To strengthen the province’s long-term water security, the company is developing a 66.5-MLD desalination facility that will provide an alternative source and reduce dependence on existing water supplies. MPW is also advancing the Jalaur Water Treatment Project, which is expected to provide an additional 86 MLD once operational, alongside modular treatment facilities and other source-development initiatives.

In Dumaguete City, MPW has increased water production from 40.8 MLD in 2021 to 48.2 MLD in 2026. Meanwhile, COBI increased its available water supply from 43 MLD in 2018 to 80 MLD in 2019, a level it has sustained through 2026, while retaining the potential to deliver up to 100 MLD supporting the growing water requirements of Cagayan de Oro through continued investments in production capacity and infrastructure.

In 2026, MPW was appointed by the City Government of San Jose del Monte to serve as interim operator through Metro Pacific Bulacan Water (MPBW) and undertake the stabilization and rehabilitation of a water system that had suffered close to a decade of inadequate maintenance. In less than three months of its operations, MPBW has repaired more than 600 pipeline leaks out of 890 verified leaks and restored water production at Water Treatment Plant 2 to its 30 MLD design capacity from the previous 20 MLD following the completion of raw water tank cleaning.

Through Metro Pacific Water Solutions (MPWS), the company has further expanded its capabilities in wastewater treatment, engineering, and innovative water technology solutions. With more than 700 sewage treatment plant projects completed nationwide, MPWS is a Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB) AAA-licensed contractor with a strong track record in delivering water and wastewater infrastructure for both the public and private sectors. Its capabilities span new water development, modular treatment systems, sewage and wastewater treatment, and other end-to-end water solutions, with a presence and project footprint across the Philippines.

Established in 2011, MPW has grown from a water investment platform into a diversified water infrastructure and services company spanning water production and distribution, wastewater treatment, water technologies and other water-related solutions.

“As we enter our next 15 years, our focus is on building water systems that can serve communities not only for today, but for the decades ahead. Water security requires sustained investment, technical capability and long-term planning, and that is the role we intend to continue playing,” Pangilinan added.