Tubig Pilipinas Group Inc. President Ryan Wesley T. Yapkianwee, second from right, and Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan Administrator and CEO Hussein P. Pangandaman, center, formalize a 25-year partnership to modernize and expand the water and sewerage infrastructure of the Freeport Area of Bataan.
BATAAN, Philippines — The Freeport Area of Bataan is preparing for a major infrastructure boost after Tubig Pilipinas Group Inc. signed a 25-year agreement to modernize and expand the economic zone’s water supply and sewerage systems.
Tubig Pilipinas, together with consortium partner FB Infrastructure Corporation, entered into a Joint Venture Agreement with the Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan to improve, operate, maintain, rehabilitate, expand, and manage the freeport’s water and wastewater infrastructure.
The long-term concession will be backed by an estimated ₱1.35-billion investment, underscoring the consortium’s confidence in Bataan’s continued industrial expansion and its growing appeal to local and foreign investors.
The agreement comes as Central Luzon strengthens its position as one of the country’s major economic centers. The regional economy grew by 4.5 percent in 2025, with industry accounting for 41.8 percent of total output, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.
For the Freeport Area of Bataan, reliable water infrastructure will be critical to sustaining that momentum and accommodating new businesses, industrial facilities, and surrounding communities.
“The Freeport Area of Bataan has an established industrial base and a clear potential for continued growth,” said Tubig Pilipinas President Ryan Wesley T. Yapkianwee.
“Our role is to ensure that its water infrastructure can support the requirements of businesses, communities, and future locators over the next 25 years.”
Massive pipeline and treatment expansion ahead
Under the program, the consortium will rehabilitate, replace, and expand approximately 68 kilometers of water pipelines across the freeport.
The project will also add 27 million liters per day in treatment capacity and expand wastewater and sanitation services to cover 100 percent of the Freeport Area of Bataan.
Another key target is the reduction of non-revenue water, or water lost through leaks, illegal connections, and inaccurate metering, from 51 percent to 20 percent by 2039.
To achieve this, the consortium plans to deploy smart meters, leak-detection systems, supervisory control and data acquisition technology, and a cloud-based geographic information system for real-time monitoring.
Treatment facilities, sanitation systems, and pollution-mitigation measures will also be upgraded to improve efficiency, reliability, and environmental sustainability.
“Water infrastructure should be ready before growth accelerates,” Yapkianwee said.
“Our goal through this partnership is to enhance the capacity of the Freeport Area of Bataan for expansion, while providing dependable and sustainable services to the businesses, industries, and communities reliant upon it.”
Positioning Bataan for its next growth surge
The investment is expected to complement major infrastructure projects planned for the province, including the proposed 32.15-kilometer Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge.
Once completed, the bridge is expected to reduce travel time between Bataan and Cavite from around five hours to approximately 45 minutes, creating a faster connection between the industrial economies of Central Luzon and CALABARZON.
The Freeport Area of Bataan has already earned international recognition, having been named Industrial Zone of the Year for Asia-Pacific in fDi Intelligence’s 2025 Global Free Zones of the Year Awards.
The economic zone currently hosts companies involved in manufacturing, energy, financial technology, and business process outsourcing. Republic Act No. 11453 also allows FAB to expand beyond its original location in Mariveles.
The Joint Venture Agreement was formally signed on July 23, 2026, in Mariveles, Bataan, with representatives from the Public-Private Partnership Center of the Philippines witnessing the ceremony.
Following the issuance of the Notice to Proceed, the consortium will begin a nine-month transition period, with formal operations scheduled to start in May 2027.
Founded in 2014, Tubig Pilipinas has developed into a nationwide water infrastructure company with 12 operational projects across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Five additional projects are under construction, while 13 others are in the development pipeline.
The Bataan Freeport concession gives the company a major foothold in one of the country’s most recognized economic zones and strengthens its ambition to become one of the Philippines’ largest water infrastructure providers.