MANILA WATER CO., Inc. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jose Victor Emmanuel A. de Dios said a balanced portfolio of energy sources, supported by strong infrastructure, is crucial for economic growth and attracting investment.
“I’ll stick by my position that a balanced portfolio of generating assets is the option to go forward, given the economic situation we face. That said, energy infrastructure could be very vital, not only to pay lip service to sustainability trends and all; it’s really to try to draw foreign investors,” Mr. De Dios said throughout the BusinessWorld Forecast 2026 fireside chat on Tuesday.
“So, in the event you were to ask me, I might take a really pragmatic view of things. It’s superb to have renewable energy in the combo.”
Mr. De Dios also said that while energy often dominates discussions on the green transition, water infrastructure mustn’t be ignored, noting that inadequate water systems affect consumers directly and sectors comparable to tourism not directly.
“Water doesn’t appear to affect the economy outwardly as much as power… Nevertheless, there are hidden costs, comparable to in health and tourism,” he said.
He said that in some areas, consumers face high water prices despite poor infrastructure, while tourism suffers from low water quality.
“Every time you may have investors coming and saying, how’s your power situation? They don’t ask how’s your water situation… They won’t [even] say, ‘I’m not going to take a position there since the water is bad,’ but you may have to try it from the various sectors,” Mr. De Dios said.
“I wish there was more emphasis on the worth of water because you’ll be able to undergo your day without power, but I bet you’ll be able to’t undergo your day without water.”
SUSTAINABILITY
Mr. De Dios also said that sustainability stays a core a part of Manila Water’s operations, going beyond trends or buzzwords.
“Over the past 4 years, I used to be running Manila Water within the East Zone area. And for us, sustainability was probably not a buzzword. It was the very essence of our being and survival since the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (UN SDG) 6 talks about clean water and sanitation. In actual fact, of the 17 SDGs, 12 relate to the water sector. So, I mean, I can speak about water power, and I believe each go hand in hand because for growth and development, sustainability is vital to each sectors,” he said.
Manila Water recently updated its sustainability policy to deal with managing resources, reducing pollution, improving water use, expanding WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) services, and strengthening collaboration with local governments and communities.
The policy rests on three fundamental pillars: supporting communities, protecting the environment, and maintaining trust and responsibility.
One key component involves conserving resources, managing watersheds, reducing pollution, and addressing climate and biodiversity issues. — Alexandria Grace C. Magno