In a statement, MWSS top officials said that the accusation of its former administrator Lorenzo H. Jamora is baseless as the bidding for the sewage treatment plant in Pinugay, Antipolo, Rizal was transparent and legal.

"Every stage of the bidding process was monitored and approved by concerned government agencies and international institutions," said the MWSS officials.

Participating in the project bidding was companies from Australia, Japan, China, South Korea, Singapore, USA. Filipino firms were also involved in the bidding.

Jamora filed administrative and criminal charges with the Ombudsman against former MWSS Administrator Orlando C. Hondrade and other MWSS officials, claiming that the project cost of P608 million for the sewage treatment plant (STP) was overpriced.

Contrary to this claim, MWSS officials said the construction cost of the STP was only P465 million and not P608 million. There is a separate P135 million cost for the STP, but this already for a two-year operation and maintenance (O & M).

"The O & M is the responsibility of the contractor which includes the supply of manpower, operations, chemical supply materials and equipment necessary for the upkeep of the facilities for two years," they said.

While Jamora claims that the cost of other STP constructed by Manila Water only amounted to P300 million, this STP can never be compared to other STPs since the Pinugay project has a complete process system unlike other projects.

In Pinugay, biosolids are directly converted into fertilizer in the plant. This saves cost in that the biosolids will no longer need to be transported to lahar areas in Pampanga and Tarlac (which is the case for the Manila Water FTI STP project which Jamora was citing) where biosolids go through processing but which also involves significant transportation cost.

MWSS officials also said that the Pinugay STP also involved the construction of water lines which needed additional cost. This is unlike the case of Manila Water’s FTI STP project as Manila Water already has existing water lines to which the FTI sewage plant can be readily connected.

"There is no reticulation system in the Pinugay project, hence two deepwells, reticulation system, potable water pumps, and chlorine dosing unit will have to be constructed. Since the equipment are imported, importation costs are considered," they said.

Unlike in Manila Water’s STP, there is no adequate power supply in Antipolo which prompts costs for a transformer to connect with the Manila Electric Co.’s infrastructure.

The Manila Water project no longer needs land development as there are existing drainage facilities where the STP can be connected, and the project is in a flat land. But the MWSS STP is in asloping area where there are no drainage facilities yet, and the present Bosoboso creek has to be riprapped while other land sites have to be stabilized against rainfall and erosion.

Moreover, the Pinugay STP has a complete monitoring system (SCADA system), and its operator also requires presence of a central monitoring and control system within the plant to allow for the operator to integrate future automation project.

Other costs in the Pinugay project which are not in the Manila Water project are costs for a weighbridge, an O & M component (which will be supplied by the contractor including supply of manpower, operations, chemical supplies and equipment), and the purchase of a total of 3.5 hectares of land area including its development (vegetation and protection works against run-off).

The Manila Water STP only involved a one-hectare land.

Jamora can never compare the MWSS STP to another Manila Water STP in San Mateo since the San Mateo project has lesser capacity.