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 gets Duterte ultimatum
rn0il ll
Itr Ghristlne O. Av€ndafro,
lonnel W. Domingo
rnd.MelYin Gascon
0T€am-lnqxqll
l'hc head of the Metropolitan
vVaterworks and Sewerage SYS-
(' nt (MWSS) was ready to step
lown on Tuesday night when
il(' and other MWSS officials
l)et with President Duterte, but
lrc changed his mind because
Mr, Duterte did not seek his res-
lHnutlon.
"We setve at the pleasure
rrl thB President. I would take
rltponsibility and offer to re-
[lgn, but lhe did not raise th€
htucl," MWss Administrator
l{lYngldo Velasco said on
Wadneiday at a press briefing
ln "That's why
t'm here."
said the President
the MWSS officials a
fix the problem.
regulatory agency is un-
{lor for the water shortage
lI Metro Manila and
p rta SRizal Province serviced
by conbessionaire Manila Water
(,o.
I
Cotfrressmen have called on
thc PrGbldent to fire the MWSS
ofllclals for failing to avert the
walcr cflsis.
Velasco said the water
shortage had already eased and
supply was available in 95 Per-
ccrrl ofthe service area of Mani-
la wdter and would hit 99 per-
c(,nl by the end ofthe month.
"l wlll try to rcsolvc it. lf
pRESIDENTIAL MONOLOGUE president Duterte,s meeting on Tuesday night in Malacaftang with officials of the Metropolitan
*"i"iJorts Sewerage System and two water concessionaires turned into a scolding session. -MALACAiaNG
"na
will resign," he
cannot do it, I
told reporters.
Scolding
At the meeting in Mala-
canang "that was more, of
presidential monologue," ac-
cording to Presidential
spokesperson salvador Panelo,
Mr. Duterte scolded the MWSS
officials, as well the two water
concessionaires in Metro Mani-
la, for the watdr shortage,
ln a statement, Panelo said
the President threatened to sack
the officials and terminate thd
contracts of Manila Water and
I Maynilad Water scrvices Inc.
He said Mr. Duterte ended
the meeting by ordedng them
io submit a report on the water
situation before April 7, "after
which he will decide whether
a heads will roll or whether the
contracts of the concessionaires
will be terminated."
Pubtic anger, compensation
MWSS chief regulator
Patdck Ty said he continued to
do his job despite the Public
anger.
understand the sentiment
"T
of the pubtic, everyone is an-
gry," Ty totd the Inquirer. "We
are up to the challengc."
PHoro
Members of AkbaYan-NCR
on Wednesday pickted the
Manila Water building in Que-
zon City, demanding that cus-
tomers' charges from the con-
cessionaire be waived.
Akbayan members who are
clients of Manila Water are
pushing for a "people's water
bill" that. included compensa-
tion for the inconvenience they
experienced.
At the House of RePresenta-
tives,. the committee on Public
accounts directed the two wa-
ter concessionaires to consider
rebates for all consumers and
compensation for thosc direct-
ly affected by the water short-
age.
Kid-glove treatment
Lawmakers took turns at
scolding the MWSS over its kid-
glove treatment of Manila Wa-
ter and Maynilad for Yiolations
of their 25-year concession
agreements.
Ako Bicol Rep. Alfredo
Garbip Jr. chided the agency of-
ficiald' failure to lmpose penal-
ties on the water comPanies'
missed contract obligations.
Br.lhay Rep. Jose Atienza
score[ the concessionaires for
passidg the blame on con-
I
sumers by saying that the watel
shortage was causedb! increas
ing.poputation and residents re
sorting to "panic storage."
"They are into this businesl
of providing water, so theil
busiiress model must have Pre
dicted the increase in Popula
tion," Atienza said.
'Best solution'
I At the press bdefing, Vetasc(
ieiterated that buitding the china
funded ratwa Oam was the bes
solution as it would offer long
term supply for the meffopoli
and adjacent provinces.
while constfuction coul(
take four years, he said hr
would insist that the contracto
build the dam and the con
vevance tunnel at the same tim'
so that these could be opera
tional in two years.
The MwSs admidisuato
said other short-term measure
were being taken and medium
term solution3 were being Pur
'sued-
For immediate results, ve
lalco said Manila Water shoul
activate its plant in Cardon;
Rizal, to fitter water from Lagu
na Lake and produce at full ca
pacity roo million liters dail
(MLD).
The ptant had been Plague
by technicat problems.
In a statement, Manila Wa
ter said its Cardona Plant ha
begun operation but was Prc
ducing only 24 MLD.
officials said Manila wa
ter's supply deficit averages 14
MLD and peaks at 2oo MLI
-WTH A REPORT FROM MARIEJO
RAMos INq