Laguna Water, the biggest water service provider in Laguna, was hailed as the Case Study Category Winner of the Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) Short Stories Competition organized by the World Bank Group and the Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility (PPIAF), which recognizes innovative ideas for increasing private sector participation in infrastructure in developing countries.
The Manila Water subsidiary’s case study, “Alternative PPP Model: The Laguna Water Story,” examines how Manila Water through a joint venture with the Provincial Government of Laguna has significantly improved access to clean, safe, and reliable 24/7 piped water in the cities of Binan, Cabuyao, and Sta. Rosa since it took over operations in 2009. From only 14 % service coverage six years ago, Laguna Water now supplies 120 million liters of potable water per day to 62% of the service area. The company has also lowered systems losses due to leakage and pilferages from a high 48% to 12%, and has prioritized water provision and income generating programs for the low-income communities in the Province.
The entry was evaluated and selected by a judging committee composed of independent panel of global PPP experts looking for innovative solutions and best practices for developing and implementing PPPs, who found the Laguna Water Story to be very compelling on how an innovative solution was set up in the Philippines to help leverage PPP projects in water infrastructure.
The competition received 153 submissions from students and practitioners in over 50 countries around the world, and included examples of innovative PPPs in emerging markets across a broad range of sectors, such as transport, water, energy, and health. A number of factors were considered, ranging from the identification of actionable ideas, replication potential, and relevance to the World Bank Group’s twin goals — ending extreme poverty by 2030 and boosting shared prosperity.
