ANGELES CITY- The Balibago Waterworks System, Inc. (BWSI) Group of Companies marks this month its 55th year, with assurance of a continuing efficient and safe water supply for a growing number of consumers now spread out far beyond the limits of this city’s commercial Barangay Balibago.
“When the new investment group bought BWSI from the original founders in 1998, they didn’t realize that much of the Philippines outside of Metro Manila was in dire need of water.
As the new management team began to efficiently operate the one and only franchise in Barangay Balibago, they were approached by local government officials from various municipalities in Luzon asking BWSI to invest in water systems for their constituents.
We invested in a franchise here and a franchise there, and gradually we expanded our coverage,” said BWSI Deputy Managing Director Criselle Alejandro.
She noted BWSI now has 39 franchises spread in 12 provinces, including Pampanga, Bulacan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Pangasinan, Aurora, Benguet, Laguna, Batangas, Iloilo and Bohol.
“The company, through its seven subsidiaries, now provides Level 3 water supply and distribution systems to more than 700,000 people in the Philippines. This expansion has also translated into employment for more than 600 Filipinos all over the country,” Alejandro said.
In its franchise covering this city and neighboring Mabalacat, BSWI has noted 100 percent coverage, with a customer base that grew from 7,000 to over 15,000.
It has already established 14 wells in the area and has been replacing asbestos cement pipes and corroded galvanized iron pipes with high density polyethelene (HDPE), on top of the installation of a “well water filtration system.”
Noting how BWSI has expanded to other towns in the country, Mary Ann Vicentina, BWSI administrative and organizational development manager, said “majority of the new municipalities we have served in the past 15 years were truly in need of a dependable and sustainable Level 3 water distribution system to bail them out of their economic challenges.”
“The lack of a good water supply in these municipalities resulted in low economic returns and investment activities. We pride ourselves to have largely contributed in the rebound of the ailing economies of third to fifth class municipalities that we continue to happily serve,” she said.
This, even as Alejandro noted that ”BWSI is not in the water business as a business. From our shareholders down to our employees, we are passionate about this noble vision of bringing water to Filipinos everywhere and aligning with the Millennium Development Goal of halving the population without access to clean, healthy and potable water.”
She was referring to the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goal for a decent, healthier lives for billions of people, specifically the target of cutting in half by 2015 the world population without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation.
“The remarkable growth in both service coverage areas, population served and company assets can only be attributed to the charismatic leadership of past and present leaders who made sure we stayed focused and were consistently guided by our core philosophy ‘to promote growth and development in the communities we serve by providing quality basic services,” Alejandro said.
She stressed that “our presence as a dependable water utility service provider triggered a chain of developments including but not limited to the mushrooming growth of residential and commercial areas developed into urbanized subdivisions from barren rural areas that used to just lie idle and unproductive.
More factories in the food and beverage, furniture and garment manufacturing industries were supported with steady dependable supply of water, thus escalating economic development to unprecedented heights.”
“We are the partner of every municipality that we serve. We have a commitment to these municipalities to assist them in their growth and development from sleepy, rural towns to dynamic, communities with small but bustling economies.
When we ensure a dependable water supply, local government officials can focus their efforts at attracting investors who provide employment opportunities and thereby uplift the lives of the residents in the area,” she added.
Alejandro also said “BWSI will continue to grow and find solutions to the most water-challenged communities as it strengthens its position as the biggest private provincial water service provider in the country.”
