By Sheldeen Joy Talavera, Reporter
WEST ZONE concessionaire Maynilad Water Services, Inc. plans to spend as much as P30 billion in 2026 to fund water and wastewater projects inside its service areas.
“We’re taking a look at anywhere between P26 [billion] to P30 billion,” Maynilad President and Chief Executive Officer Ramoncito S. Fernandez told BusinessWorld last week.
He said the planned capital spending will probably be allocated to projects related to water production, wastewater services, and non-revenue water reduction.
The 2026 capital expenditure (capex) forms a part of the corporate’s P163-billion capital investment program for 2023 to 2027, which is earmarked for infrastructure projects geared toward sustaining service improvements.
Mr. Fernandez said Maynilad is ramping up the completion of major water infrastructure projects, including the CAMANA (Caloocan-Malabon-Navotas) Water Reclamation Facility.
“That’s the largest wastewater plant within the country when it’s finished this 12 months,” he said.
Positioned in Maypajo, Caloocan City, the P10.5-billion facility is designed to reinforce sewerage services in South Caloocan, Malabon, and Navotas by treating as much as 205 million liters of wastewater each day. Once operational, it is predicted to serve about 1.2 million customers.
Maynilad currently operates 23 wastewater facilities, based on its website.
The corporate had earmarked greater than P30 billion for capital expenditures last 12 months because it stepped up investments in water supply, wastewater, and network improvement projects.
Maynilad made its stock market debut in November last 12 months, raising P34.34 billion from the offering, the second-largest initial public offering within the bourse’s history.
For the primary nine months of 2025, the corporate reported a net income of P11.41 billion, up 18% from a 12 months earlier, supported by higher revenues.
Maynilad is the first provider of water and wastewater services within the West Zone, which covers 11 cities in Metro Manila, three of which have partial coverage, in addition to parts of Cavite province.
Metro Pacific Investments Corp., Maynilad’s majority shareholder, is one among three Philippine subsidiaries of First Pacific Co. Ltd., alongside Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT Inc.
Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Useful Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has an interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls.