Richli Corporation has broken ground for its P1.5-billion bulk water project in the town of Cortes, setting in motion the construction of a facility that would provide the much needed water supply for the towns of Panglao and Dauis.
Department of Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo, Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Secretary Michael Diño and Richli president Ralph Lim led the groundbreaking ceremony in Barangay Patrocinio on Monday.
“The project will help boost Bohol’s tourism industry as abundant water supply will finally be available in beach resorts and at the same time the new Panglao Bohol International Airport,” Lim said.
Business establishments and residential areas in the resort town of Panglao, Cortes, Dauis and several villages of Tagbilaran City will benefit from the water supply which will be sourced out from the Malingin River, Lim added.
The largescale water treatment facility has a projected water output of 300,000 liters per second mainly targeted to benefit more than 90,000 residents of the two fast-growing towns in Panglao Island.
According to Jeoffrey Hapitan, chairman and CEO of J.E. Hydro and Bio-Energy Corporation which designed the project and will oversee its operations, the multi-billion water treatment facility will be completed in August.
“We are committed to finish the construction of the water treatment facility within six months and immediately we will commission and perform the performance test so that we can start the delivery of a good healthy potable water in Tagbilaran City, Dauis and Panglao,” Hapitan said.
Meanwhile, initial construction activities such as the excavation of land to make way for large underground pipes which will direct water supply to various locations have commenced.
For her part, Teo lauded Richli Corporation for its efforts to build the province’s first bulk water supply project which she said would push inclusive growth through the tourism sector and other businesses.
“This move is definitely another way for us to fast track our goal towards being highly competitive environmentally, sustainable and socially responsible industry which promotes inclusive growth,” Teo said. (Rey Tutas)