President Benigno Aquino III only had good words for San Miguel president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang during the signing of a concession agreement for the first water project awarded under the government’s public-private partnership (PPP) program.

The P24.4-billion Bulacan Bulk Water Supply Project (BBWSP), which was awarded to the consortium of San Miguel Corp. and Korea Water Resources Corp., covers 21 municipalities and is eyed to benefit at least 3.4 million residents.

“Gusto ko lang bigyan ng pansin ang mga ginagawa po ng ating butihing kaibigang si Ramon Ang. Alam po n’yo, may mga kuwestiyon kunwari sa kuryente sa Mindanao. Hindi ko na ho papasukan ‘yung detalye kung bakit hindi ganoon kadaling ilutas iyon, pero maiiwan po natin na di-hamak na napakaganda ng sitwasyon sa Mindanao kaysa sa ating pong dinatnan,” said Aquino.

“Ngayon po, [kapag] may pangangailangan po ang Pilipino, [ang] mga kumpanyang sa pangunguna po ni Mr. Ang, tinulungan tayo. Binabago na ‘yung tinatawag na modelo sa ating kuryente na kailangan munang naibenta na lahat ng ipo-produce na kuryente bago itayo ‘yung planta,” he said.

Aquino said Ang also didn’t express ill feelings when SMC lost the second round of bidding for the Cavite-Laguna expressway.

“Bagama’t natalo ho siya sa second round ng bidding, hindi naman ho nagtampo sa atin pero naitama ‘yung presyo para sa sambayanang Pilipino,” he said.

Ang was also present during the signing ceremony held in Malolos, Bulacan. He said the project, which is envisioned to be operation by June 2017, is a “win-win solution” for the national and provincial government, and most importantly, the consumers.