NEW SEWAGE PLANT. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. leads the inauguration of the Aglipay Sewage Treatment Plant in Mandaluyong on Friday (Jan. 16, 2026), a facility designed to improve water quality and support Manila Bay rehabilitation. The PHP3.93 billion plant serves more than 650,000 residents across Mandaluyong, San Juan, and Quezon City, with the capacity to treat up to 120 million liters of wastewater daily. (Screengrab from RTVM)
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday inaugurated the Aglipay Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) in Mandaluyong, saying the facility marks a major step toward improving water quality, protecting the environment, and safeguarding public health.
Marcos emphasized that access to clean water is a “fundamental right that we must uphold and deliver to every Filipino.”
“So, today, we take a step towards fulfilling that responsibility as we inaugurate the Aglipay Sewage Treatment Plant, a facility designed to improve the water quality of Metro Manila waterways,” he said in his keynote speech during the event.
“This plant serves a 2,115-hectare catchment area across Mandaluyong, San Juan, and Quezon City, benefitting over 650,000 residents. Its impact will be felt every single day – in our homes, in our rivers, and the well-being of our communities.”
Built with an investment of PHP3.93 billion and managed by Manila Water, the facility has an initial capacity to treat 60 million liters of wastewater daily, Marcos said, noting that it can be expanded to 120 million liters per day as Metro Manila’s population and urban footprint continue to grow.
“This means that more liters of safe water is available for public consumption and more rivers and seas are preserved for future generations,” he said. “At this scale, wastewater management and sanitation become essential foundations of public health, of environmental protection, and of sustainable development.”
The President said the newly inaugurated sewage treatment plant reduces the pollution load flowing into waterways, supporting the long-term rehabilitation of Manila Bay, a critical environmental and economic resource.
He said that beyond the plant’s machinery and technology, the real measure of success is tangible improvement in water quality and the reduced exposure of residents to untreated sewage.
“These are not abstract aspirations, but concrete and measurable actions towards protecting our (environment) and restoring our natural resources,” Marcos said.
“This is how carefully planned and thoroughly executed infrastructure directly improves the lives of our people.”
More to follow
Marcos said the inauguration is only the beginning of a broader government program to strengthen water and sanitation services.
“More water and wastewater facilities are in the pipeline. Five wastewater treatment plants across service areas are presently under construction,” he said.
He said the projects are guided by the Revised Concession Agreement under Republic Acts 11600 and 11601.
Under the roadmap, the government aims to connect 76 percent of households in Metro Manila, Cavite, and Rizal to sewerage systems by 2047, while the remaining 24 percent will have access to proper sanitation services.
“This means that no community is left without safe and responsible wastewater management,” Marcos said.
He also acknowledged the crucial role of private partners, including Manila Water and the Megawide Consortium, in delivering these complex facilities.
He called on citizens to also take part by exercising discipline, emphasizing that “clean facilities must be matched by clean habits.”
“True progress also demands collective discipline and shared accountability,” he said. “Just as clean water flows through healthy rivers, let responsible governance and community discipline flow through our communities – to bring good health, dignity, and hope to every single Filipino.” (PNA)