Think tank to ask SC to halt Chinese-funded water source project

Think tank Infrawatch PH has vowed to question the legality of the P18 -billion New Centennial Water Source – Kaliwa Dam Project located in Quezon and Rizal provinces.

Terry Ridon, Infrawatch PH convenor, noted that the said project, funded by Manila's loan deal with Beijing, which will be signed when China's President Xi Jinping visits the Philippines on November 19, could be easily dragged into the Supreme Court by filing a Writ of Kalikasan petition against it.

The Writ of Kalikasan is a legal remedy which seeks to stop public officials, private entity or any employee from denying the citizens' right to “a balanced and healthful ecology.”

“All it takes to file a Writ of Kalikasan petition against Kaliwa Dam are the objections of affected communities in two provinces. The project affects Quezon and Rizal, and we have LGUs and communities from both provinces fiercely opposing the dam project,” Ridon said.

The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System described the New Centennial Water Source – Kaliwa Dam Project as something that will provide water security, reliability and additional supply for Metro Manila, zeroing in on the Kaliwa-Kanan-Agos River Basin as an alternative water source.

The New Centennial Water Source – Kaliwa Dam Project will also involve the construction of a dam at the Kaliwa River (Laiban Dam), and a smaller dam (Kaliwa Dam) downstream to maximize the water supply and to ensure short and long term supply for Metro Manila and its adjoining areas.

“Sorry to burst the bubble of the good MWSS administrator, but he should probably be reminded that no environmentally-critical project gets to proceed without the approval of affected local government units. As such, we most sincerely advice the MWSS to take a step back on rushing the implementation of the dam project,” Ridon added.

MWSS Administrator Reynaldo Velasco, however, countered that the Kaliwa dam project has already secured the necessary approval of the affected LGUs.

“We already secured approval from the Provincial Development Council of Quezon and Rizal. We are just waiting for the approval of the Regional Development Council, which is just ministerial, given that the provinces already gave their approval,” Velasco told GMA News Online in a phone interview.

“Rizal gave its approval last year, while Quezon followed through two days ago,” Velasco added.

Velasco also assured that the New Centennial Water Source – Kaliwa Dam Project will be compliant to laws, and that a relocation site will be readily available for affected communities, including indigenous peoples.

“We will make sure that everything required in our laws will be complied with,” Velasco added. — LDF, GMA News