Iloilo to host Western Visayas water utilities summit Oct. 19

ILOILO CITY — The Western Visayas Water Utilities Summit 2026 will gather government officials, water service providers, financial institutions, and technology leaders on Oct. 19 at the Iloilo Convention Center (ICON) to discuss water security, infrastructure investment, and utility modernization.

The summit carries the theme “Growing Western Visayas Toward a Water-Secure Future.”

It serves as the official pre-conference to the 32nd Philippine Water Works Association (PWWA) International Conference & Exhibition.

The event aims to address challenges facing water utilities across the region, including limited access to capital, non-revenue water losses, aging infrastructure, inefficient billing and collection systems, and growing demand for reliable water services.

Non-revenue water refers to treated water that utilities produce but do not bill, whether through leaks, theft, or unmetered use.

The PWWA is a national association of water service providers in the Philippines.

Industry presentations and discussions will explore practical solutions to strengthen the water sector, from securing water sources and improving distribution networks to financing infrastructure upgrades and adopting modern technologies.

Iloilo Gov. Arthur R. Defensor Jr. will present the Iloilo Water Security Plan, which highlights the province’s direction toward strengthening long-term water security.

Leaders from the Metro Iloilo Water District (MIWD), Institute of Contemporary Economics (ICE), Flo Water Resources (Iloilo), Inc., Metro Pacific Iloilo Water (MPIW), Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK), Mochi Solutions, and Electronic Commerce Payments Inc. (ECPay) will join him.

Discussions will cover water infrastructure development, bulk water partnerships, lessons from Iloilo’s water service improvements, financing opportunities, billing and collections modernization, and secure digital payment systems.

The summit is presented through the collaboration of PWWA, the Provincial Government of Iloilo, the Iloilo Economic Development Foundation, Inc. (ILEDF), and Better Bosses for Better Business, alongside industry partners.

Free registration is open to local water districts, private water service providers, real estate groups operating water utilities, government representatives, and other water sector stakeholders.

Participation is subject to available seats.

The summit will run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with registration starting at 11 a.m.

Interested participants may register at https://luma.com/y45pkuam.