First phase worth about 350 billion won to cover full water cycle infrastructure
Consortium guaranteed right of first refusal if competing bids emerge
Korea Water Resources Corporation, known as K-water, said it has officially secured Original Proponent Status for the water infrastructure project at New Clark City, the Philippines' flagship smart new town development.
K-water President Yoon Seok-dae visited the Bases Conversion and Development Authority headquarters in Taguig on Monday and received the OPS certificate from BCDA Administrator Joshua M. Bingcang.
The ceremony formally grants K-water's consortium the right of first negotiation under Philippine law. BCDA, which oversees the development of former US military bases and the construction of New Clark City, is a key state agency under the presidential office.
The project is the first phase of a broader 1 trillion won ($743 million) effort to build water infrastructure for New Clark City — a development designed to ease overcrowding in Manila and promote balanced national growth. The first phase alone is valued at about 350 billion won.
Structured as a public-private partnership, the project will install, operate and manage the full range of water infrastructure — from intake sources to water supply and sewage systems — to serve an expected future population of about 860,000 residents.
K-water's proposed water management model incorporates several advanced technologies tailored to local conditions, where river flow fluctuates sharply. These include the Philippines' first underground water storage dam, an AI-powered water treatment plant capable of autonomous control throughout the purification process, and a smart water network management system designed to minimize leakage losses.
Barring any unexpected developments, K-water expects to sign a final contract on the strength of the preferred bidder status it has now secured. Once the project gets under way, it is also expected to open doors for South Korean water industry equipment makers and engineering firms to expand overseas alongside K-water.
"Securing this preferred bidder status is a meaningful achievement that demonstrates international recognition of South Korea's advanced AI and smart water management capabilities in a nationally significant new city development," Yoon said. "We will complete the remaining procedures without delay and fulfill our role as a reliable water security partner so that New Clark City can grow into a globally competitive smart city resilient to the climate crisis."
Meanwhile, K-water is also accelerating efforts to pursue new investment projects in the Philippines, including a smart green industrial complex at New Clark City, seawater desalination, hydropower plant acquisition, pumped-storage power generation and floating solar energy.
thlee@heraldcorp.com
