International and local groups have shown an inclination to implement the multi-billion Water Eco-Tourism Hub Master Plan of the Metropolitan Waterworks along with Sewerage System (MWSS) Masterplan, which will be employed through Public-Private Partnership (PPP).
MWSS Administrator Reynaldo Velasco explained that the Master plan is to build an eco-tourism development akin to the world-famous theme park Disneyland inside complex in Balara, Quezon City.
To quote Velasco as informed to the reporters, “Since this is PPP, we are open to proposals. It still depends because we still have to establish the Terms of Reference.”
As per Velasco, there have been groups who were to provide their proposals.
“There’s this group, China-Taiwan-Hong Kong group, and Holland-Netherland group, that are interested. They will all have a Filipino counterpart,” he added.
But of course, the project will simultaneously be available to purely local players. “Ayala Group may also be interested,” Velasco added.
Velasco stated that the government will be selecting a developer on the basis of the project that they will be finalizing and the amount of revenues the government will be earning from it. “They might want to build a theme park like Disneyland and it’s okay,” he said.
The development of the Water Eco-Tourism Hub Master Plan is a portion of MWSS’ plan to attract new avenues for growth and revenues for the agency.
World-Class Urban Planner Architect Felino “Jun” Palafox designed the masterplan. The exact plan is to change the 79-hectare Old Balara Picnic Grove into a water eco-tourism hub and to make it environment-compliant.
Tags: MWSS tourism
