Newly appointed Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Philip Lo joined representatives from Vivant Water, the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD), and the local government of Lapu-Lapu City at a ceremonial tapping marking the reach of desalinated water to Lapu-Lapu City and communities across Mactan Island.
The group convened at the water injection point located in Brgy. Babag II, Lapu-lapu City for the ceremonial tapping connecting IMCC’s supply to MCWD’s distribution system. Lo’s participation comes as the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV) works to coordinate national government programs and engage stakeholders across the region.
Since July, desalinated water from IMCC’s facility in Cordova has been flowing into the MCWD system as part of the initial 5,000-cubic-meter-per-day (5 MLD) delivery under the parties’ 20,000-cubic-meter commitment. With the latest connection, that supply now reaches Lapu-Lapu City and communities across Mactan Island — one of Cebu’s key growth areas.
“Water is not an infinite resource, and we cannot continue relying on the same sources without considering their long-term capacity to recover,” said Vivant Water President Atty. Jess Anthony Garcia. “Desalination gives us another option — drawing from the sea rather than groundwater, easing pressure on our aquifers while bringing that resilience closer to more Cebuano families and businesses.” he added.
MCWD said the additional supply strengthens the water district’s efforts to diversify its sources. “This partnership with Vivant Water gives MCWD an additional source that can help us strengthen the reliability and resilience of our water system, while preparing for the challenges that climate variability and continued growth may bring,” said General Manager Atty. John Dx Lapid. “Cebu island is a water-scarce region geographically. Finding innovative ways to provide water to the growing demand while preserving the degrading groundwater health is imminent,” MCWD Chairman Ruben Almendras added.
For years, groundwater has been Cebu’s primary water source, but continued extraction places pressure on aquifers, particularly when it outpaces their natural recovery. Desalination offers an alternative that draws from the sea rather than groundwater or surface water — a distinction especially important for households, schools, hospitals, tourism establishments, and industries that depend on a steady supply to sustain economic growth.
For Vivant Corporation CEO Arlo Sarmiento, the milestone reflects the company’s broader commitment to building infrastructure that communities can depend on. “Progress must be supported by solutions that are ready for the realities of a changing world. For many years, Vivant has built that readiness in energy — infrastructure only matters when people can depend on it day in and day out,” said Sarmiento. “Today, we bring that same discipline into water. This is a responsibility we carry forward with every community this supply reaches. We are grateful to our partners in MCWD and the local government units,for making this milestone possible.”
The initial 5 MLD delivery forms part of the Joint Venture Agreement signed in April 2025 between MCWD and Vivant Water for the delivery of 20,000 cubic meters of desalinated water to Metro Cebu. As intake systems stabilize further, IMCC will continue working with MCWD toward the full committed volume. Once fully operational, the facility is expected to support close to 30,000 Cebuano households.
