MANILA, Philippines -- As the Philippines contends with ongoing water shortages and management challenges exacerbated by climate change, South Korea is set to deepen its cooperation with the Southeast Asian country and expand its support to address these critical issues.

At the heart of this expanding cooperation is the Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water), a public enterprise specializing in water development and management. Since 2014, K-water has partnered with the Philippine government to enhance the country's water infrastructure. Recently, the corporation strengthened its involvement by becoming a key stakeholder in what it describes as "one of the biggest water infrastructure projects K-water is currently engaged in across Southeast Asia."

One key infrastructure project that K-water is expected to participate in is the development of the water supply and sewage system in New Clark City, a planned urban space currently under development by the Philippines’ Bases Conversion and Development Authority. The project, worth approximately $737 million (1 trillion won), is scheduled to complete its feasibility report by December. K-water holds a 40-percent stake in the project, the maximum level allowed for foreign companies.

“Covering an area of approximately 9,450 hectares and located in the municipalities of Capas and Bamban in Tarlac Province, New Clark City is one of the Philippine government’s strategic infrastructure projects aimed at creating a new urban center outside of Manila that is smart, green and disaster-resilient -- what could also be called ‘a second Manila,’” Min Hyu, general director of K-water’s Philippines Project Office, told The Korea Herald.

“Through a list of water management projects initiated by K-water to resolve the Philippines’ water security challenges, I hope K-water can serve as a bridge for other Korean companies to enter the Philippines to take part in the country's infrastructure projects," he said.

K-water's increasing participation in various Philippine projects comes at a time of strengthening diplomatic ties between the two nations, as they celebrate the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations this year. During a state visit to the country, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol agreed with his Philippine counterpart Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to elevate bilateral ties to a strategic partnership, paving the way for Korean companies to actively participate in infrastructure projects, including those focused on water resources.

Driving the deepening cooperation is the Philippine government’s push to enhance the country’s competitiveness, with digital transformation set as a key national priority. In line with this effort, a former U.S. military base, Camp O’Donnell, was renamed New Clark City, as the areas of Capas and Bamban were designated part of the Clark Special Economic Zone, according to Jerico Bondoc, associate project officer of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority’s Strategic Projects Management Department.

New Clark City was first proposed in 2012 as a response to climate change challenges that put Manila and other coastal cities at risk, and to also free Manila of traffic gridlock and overpopulation.

The new urban hub is due to be developed in phases, with the first of the many phases consisting of the New Clark City Sports Hub completed in 2019 in time for the Southeast Asian Games. As it expects to add more infrastructure -- such as housing and commercial developments -- in the next five to 10 years, as well as transport links by 2026, the BCDA has noted a key problem that must be addressed: developing the city’s water supply and sewage systems to gradually accommodate more residents and businesses in the coming years.

With the exception of Manila, other rural areas and provinces suffer from a lack of proper water infrastructure. Many of these communities depend on groundwater that is only accessible through deep wells or pumping stations.

New Clark City also primarily relies on groundwater, which, according to Min, poses a host of problems, including “depletion, saltwater intrusion, contamination, subsidence and increased vulnerability to climate change. "

Since signing a memorandum of understanding with the BCDA in July, K-water has agreed to construct and operate the new water management facilities in the city, which will tap into surface water resources such as nearby rivers and lakes.

“K-water will also introduce some of its water management technologies throughout the construction process, including the use of digital twin and artificial intelligence technologies that could help in managing and controlling the water supply and sewage systems remotely,” Min mentioned.

A K-water official also added that it aims to “complete its feasibility study for developing the water supply and sewage systems and submit a project proposal to the BCDA” by the end of December 2024. “After this process is complete, we hope that construction will officially begin in 2025 -- which we estimate will last for five years -- before K-water operates the water management systems for the following 25 years," the official continued.

According to K-water, the government agency caught the Philippine government's eye because it has “proved its prominence as a potential partner in solving the Philippines’ water challenges over the past few years.”

Since 2010, K-water has worked with Angat Hydropower Corporation, a major local stakeholder, to advance the generation of hydroelectric power at Angat Dam.

Angat Dam is one of the most significant and largest multipurpose dams in the Philippines. It plays a crucial role in providing up to 90 percent of the capital city's water supply and contributes to power generation, irrigation water provision and flood control.

However, even though it plays such a crucial role, Kwon Hyouck-dong, the head of AHC's dam operations, told The Korea Herald that the dam has faced several challenges due to climate change.

“Due to its aging infrastructure, risks have been posed to the dam’s ability to generate power continuously and to meet the growing demand for water as Manila’s population grows,” added Kwon. “Erratic weather patterns caused by climate change, such as prolonged dry periods followed by heavy rain, make it difficult to manage water storage effectively.”

Kwon added that K-water has been working closely with AHC to balance the demands of water supply, power generation and irrigation by “optimizing the management of Angat reservoir to ensure that the available water is used efficiently, especially during dry periods.”

Kang Dong-hyung, CTO of Angat Hydropower Corporation, also told the press that K-water is working to implement advanced water management technologies to address Angat Dam’s water shortage and improve its distribution, such as “forecasting systems to better predict and manage water levels during dry periods and also to reduce water wastage.”

Kang added that K-water has also worked to modernize some hydroelectric power generation equipment in the Angat Hydroelectric Power Plant, including turbines that convert the energy of flowing water into mechanical energy, as well as generators that convert the mechanical energy from turbines into electrical energy.

According to K-water, modernization of the hydroelectric power generation equipment began in January 2020 and is expected to be completed by 2025.