Institutional Specialist (Accelerating Sanitation for All in Asia and the Pacific)

A consultant team has been engaged under the Southeast Asia Urban Services Facility (SURF consultants) 
to assist the government to prepare the Baguio City Sanitation Improvement Project (BCSIP). The 
Institutional Specialist (hereinafter “the consultant”) will work with the SURF consultants to provide 
support to the government on assessment of the capacity and readiness of Baguio Local Government Unit 
(LGU) and Baguio Water District (BWD) in operating and managing sanitation services. It will also 
support the preparation of appropriate plans for training in project implementation, as may be required. 
The assignment aims to provide support to the government and relevant institutions on institutional 
reforms and restructuring, and other measures required to improve sanitation services in Baguio City. 

Baguio City Sanitation Improvement Project Background

The BCSIP will contribute to the government’s goal of ensuring all residents of Baguio City will have 
access to sanitation services, thereby improving water quality and reducing adverse impacts on health. 

Baguio’s sanitation infrastructure and services are inadequate. The City has one sewage treatment plant 
(STP), and a sewer network of about 57 kilometers (km) in Balili catchment area. About 5,000 households 
(5.7% of the population) and over 4,300 commercial establishments are connected to the sewer system. The 
sewer network was built in the 1970’s and is badly damaged by cracking, leaks, and collapse. There are 
also illegal connections to the sewer system. The STP was built in 1986 with a design capacity of 8,600 
m3 per day. Due to increasing leakage from the sewer system, the inlet flow has decreased progressively 
to about 6,600 m3 per day in 2020 from 10,000 m3 per day in 2010. 

Outside the sewered area, sanitation is typically provided by individual household septic tanks. 
However, most of these septic tanks are not lined (no wall lining nor sealed base), resulting in liquid 
waste to percolation and groundwater contamination. In addition, most septic tanks are not regularly 
desludged due to the imposed charge and a general lack of local knowledge. Of the septage sludge 
collected, around 170m3 is treated monthly at the STP although this poses operational challenges at the 
STP.  
About 7,000 cubic meters (m3) of untreated wastewater is estimated to be discharged from the sewer lines 
to the receiving environments on a daily basis. Baguio’s rivers are contaminated and far exceed water 
quality standards for Fecal Coliforms concentrations.

The BWD and Baguio LGU are mandated to play crucial roles in planning, development, and management for 
sewerage and sanitation services. The LGU operates the existing STP and encounters operational 
challenges and technical issues. BWD is currently only engaged in water supply and not sanitation 
services (The Baguio LGU is planning to transfer the responsibility of sewage tariff collection to the 
BWD). Baguio LGU and BWD lack the technical and financial resources to design, develop, operate, and 
maintain the required additional sewerage system. The BCSIP aims to enhance the LGU’s and BWD’s capacity 
to plan, deliver, operate, and maintain sanitation infrastructure in a sustainable, gender responsive, 
and social inclusive manner.

The Institutional Specialist will assess the capacity of Baguio LGU and BWD in terms of developing 
sanitation infrastructure, and operating and maintaining sanitation systems, and will provide relevant 
advice and guidance on improving these institutions.

The expert will be required to travel to Manila and Baguio City. Dates below are indicative and will be 
agreed with ADB prior to travel.

The consultant will undertake the following tasks:
(i) Undertake a detailed assessment of operational capacity of Baguio LGU and BWD based on existing 
information from these institutions and other available resources;
(ii) To augment available information and if deemed required, the consultant will conduct site visits to 
be able to obtain the required information on these institutions’ capacity to develop, manage, operate 
and maintain sanitation systems, including staffing, training, technical and management support;
(iii) If and when requested by ADB and based on initial assessment, the consultant may engage the 
services of a surveyor, and/or researcher to assist in detailed data collection and analysis, with the 
methodology and detailed cost to be approved by ADB prior to commencement;
(iv) Based on the consultant's assessment, he will prepare a detailed plan for capacity building;
(v) Prepare reports presenting the outcomes of assessment, recommendations, and conclusions, as may be 
required by ADB;
(vi) Join missions, field visits, stakeholder consultation meetings, as necessary; and
(vii) Provide strategic advice on other policy, regulatory, institutional, operational, and financial 
issues.

The assignment will be undertaken as 44 working days of inputs intermittently over a 4-month period.