KUALA LUMPUR: Indah Water Konsortium (IWK), the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the government of Baguio have taken a significant step towards elevating sewer management in the Philippines city through ADB’s water organisations partnership for resilience programme (WOP4R).
A memorandum of agreement (MoA) was signed at the IWK headquarters in the presence of natural resources, environment and climate change ministry secretary-general Ching Thoo Kim.
The document was sealed with the signatures of IWK CEO Narendran Maniam; ADB director, strategy and partnerships, water and urban development sector office Satoshi Ishii; and City Environment and Parks Management Office department head Renan G Diwas on behalf of Baguio mayor Benjamin B Magalong.
Narendran said this represented a significant opportunity for IWK to share its expertise and further enrich the community.
“We extend our appreciation to ADB and Baguio for their decision to partner with us.
“It reaffirms our shared commitment to enhancing sanitation and sewer management standards within our own borders and extending this knowledge throughout the broader region,” Narendran said.
Through the ADB WOP4R, IWK has been selected as a mentor to Baguio’s city environment and park management office (Cepmo) for 12 months, which will facilitate the transfer of best practices, expertise, and technology through peer-to-peer exchanges, fostering innovation and resilience in sewer systems.
Baguio is a highly urbanised city about 250km from Manila and 1,470m above sea level. It is known as the “summer capital of the Philippines”, owing to its cool climate.
WOP4R, funded by ADB’s Japan special fund, is supporting water entities in Asia and the Pacific to become more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient.
This approach ensures they are better prepared to address water security challenges, including rising climate change and disaster risks.
Throughout the WOP4R programme, ADB, IWK, and the city government of Baguio have developed a joint work plan, outlining a series of activities that include remote consultations, in-person information exchange visits, knowledge transfer, training and development, as well as other related initiatives with Cepmo, effective from the signing of the MoA.
By merging resources, expertise, and dedication, IWK, ADB and the city government aim to transform the sewer management landscape in Baguio and set a model for others to follow.
Meanwhile, at the same event, IWK also announced a contribution of more than RM109,000 to the Palestine humanitarian trust fund.
The contribution was made under the IWK Cares initiative, through donations from the company and contributions from employees.
A replica of the donation cheque was presented to Ching by IWK chairman Ahmad Johnie. The ceremony was also attended by Narendran.