BUSINESS tycoon and staunch sports advocate Manuel V. Pangilinan, or more commonly known as MVP, was in town last week and scheduled an informal meeting with members of the Baguio Correspondents and Broadcasters Club at the Baguio Country Club.
Initially, one would feel intimidated to face the well respected business man. With his success in the telecommunications industry and other business interests, who wouldn't be?
But to my surprise, he was accommodating to questions handed out by the Baguio journalists. In fact, we were successful in making him share a light moment after initial two or three serious questions about the re-operation of Philex mines.
Hail to BCBC president Roderick Osis for that sports question which eventually changed the mood.
From the typical Philex mines questions to sports and even entertainment and his venture into satellite broadcast or the Cignal TV (oops, not a free advertisement), he eventually turned the table and asked us on how our water supply system operates. And impressively, he favors a bulk water supply project for the city.
Several years ago, Baguio City was about to undertake the Bulk Water Supply Project (BWSP) which entails bringing in the much needed water from external sources in close proximity to Baguio.
BWD opened the project to bids and in 2003, four companies submitted bids for the project: Benguet Corp., Almagan Mining, Alpa PCM and Chemitreat-Massco.
Almagan and Alpa were both disqualified as it was found that neither firm had the technical capabilities required to realize the project.
Benguet Corp.'s bid was put in doubt because water sources they identified fell in areas prohibited by the Benguet Provincial Board to be used for such project.
Chemitreat-Massco became the default favored contender for the project. But there were a number of problems found in their proposal which could not be rectified and the company eventually withdrew their bid.
This left Benguet Corp. as the only contender. The BWD evaluated BC's proposal and also found it unsatisfactory on several grounds, with the two main points of contention being:
1) BC would not be able to supply adequate amounts of water. BC proposed to convert its redundant Antamok mine into a reservoir. But according to BWD the site would not be able to contain enough water.
2) The other problem with the suggested use of the Antamok mine was that tests of raw water from the site revealed dangerous levels of mercury, cadmium and lead, rendering the water unsuitable for use.
Benguet Corp. then stressed that the water would be treated accordingly but was still deemed by some as too dangerous a scheme to even consider.
Given these, MVP, who also happens to be chairman of Maynilad Water Services, clearly elaborated the points of interest in investing on an honest to goodness bulk water project for the city of Pines.
MVP described the size of the market and the system of supplying water and sewerage process. This he said would lead the way in getting a new appointment for a primary bulk water agreement.
Looks like Maynilad's chairman is studying the possibility to be a water generator and distributor at an acceptable cost with the corresponding efficiency.
And why not? MVP has shown the will power and determination to succeed with his dynamic skills and adaptability to changes in market trends. This aside from his willingness to listen and take advices from others. Coupled with an honest and trustworthy analysis of a situation.
MVP's biggest obstacle if ever he decides to enter into a bulk water agreement with Baguio City is on how and where to get the much needed water supply.
But barring all of these obstacles, it's probably the right time to reconsider having a new bulk water project under MVP's management.
And if this pushes through, we will have the first MVP (most valuable player) in the field of water services providers.