Megawide, SUEZ Asia to build Manila Water treatment plant
MEGAWIDE Construction Corp. and SUEZ Asia have been tapped to design and build Manila Water, Inc.’s 60,000-cubic meter sewage treatment plant in Mandaluyong, Megawide announced Wednesday. The Aglipay Sewage Treatment Plant will treat waste water from Mandaluyong City, and the southern parts of Quezon City and San Juan City, covering 650,000 residents. “This partnership between Manila Water, Megawide and SUEZ provides a strong foundation for this project and will significantly enhance the water quality, hygiene and sanitation for the population in Metro Manila by 2037,” Francois Fervier, SUEZ Asia chief executive officer of water, said in a statement. Megawide said it would be in charge of all civil works for the project, which broke ground on Feb. 24. The listed firm’s foreign partner would be using its innovative MeteorTM Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor and GreendafTM technologies in cutting operating costs and installation space. — Angelica Y. Yang
Pangasinan gov’t says LTFRB assures resumption of provincial buses before Holy Week
BUSES going to Pangasinan will be allowed to resume operations before the Catholic Holy Week, set this year on the last week of March, according to the provincial government. Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Regional Director Nasrudin U. Talipasan told the provincial board on Mar. 8 that permits for inter-regional buses will be released soon by the agency’s central office. Pangasinan Governor Amado I. Espino III and mayors in the province sent a request letter to the LTFRB in end-December to push for the resumption of provincial bus services. In stating this, Mr. Talipasan appealed for patience and understanding on the long process. “Konting tiis at pasensya na lang (Just a bit more forebearance and patience). The process is ongoing and more than halfway,” Mr. Talipasan told the board members. Existing bus operators need to apply for special permits to resume operations, which is subject to another round of road worthiness inspection and compliance to health protocols. Inter-regional bus services have resumed in several other areas such as Baguio and other northern Luzon provinces, parts of the Visayas, and Mindanao.
TOURISM REVIVAL
The Thursday and Friday of Holy Week are declared national holidays in the country and people traditionally visit their hometowns or go on holiday during this long weekend. Pangasinan has reopened its tourism sector, and majority of local governments have adopted the national guidelines on less documentary requirements for travelers. As of Mar. 8, only the towns of Bani, Asingan, Balungao, and Sto. Tomas require a negative RT-PCR test result for visitors. The entire province including the independent city of Dagupan, with a population of about three million, has recorded 5,120 coronavirus cases as of Mar. 10. Of the total, 178 are active, 4,702 have recovered while 240 died. For more information on traveling to Pangasinan, visit the province’s official sites: pangasinan.gov.ph, seepangasinan.com or facebook.com/pangasinan.gov.ph, facebook.com/pangasinan.tourism.