In a bid to address the ongoing water crisis in Metro Manila, President Duterte has ordered Manila Water and Maynilad to release water from the Angat Dam effective Friday.
In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said President Duterte is “aware and concerned” of the plight of Metro Manila residents due the present water crisis.
According to Panelo, Manila Water Company, Inc., Maynilad Water Services, Inc. and other responsible offices are instructed to release water from Angat Dam for 150 days.
“The President is directing the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) to demand from the Manila Water Company, Inc., Maynilad Water Services, Inc. and other responsible offices to release water from Angat Dam by noon time today, March 15, good for 150 days, in order to supply the affected areas in Metro Manila and deliver, as well as distribute sufficient water to the residents thereof,” Panelo said in his statement.
“Failure to act or comply with this directive, the President will personally go to them and make the responsible officers account for such failure,” he added.
Residents in certain areas in Metro Manila are experiencing limited water supply reportedly because of the critically low level of water at the Angat Dam.
Early this week, Panelo raised the possibility that the water shortage experienced by Metro Manila residents is just “artificial”.
Panelo also said that he read about how Maynilad is not facing the same problems as Manila Water when both concessionaires get their supply from the Angat Dam.
“I said it could be just inefficiency, mismanagement. In that case, it’s only an artificial shortage because if the source is full and another concessionaire is also full, why is the other one not having problems?” he said Thursday.
Panelo also said that Manila Water can be held accountable if claims about an artificial water crisis is proven true.
“Of course, the one who is at fault, we will make sure they will be held accountable,” he said.
Meanwhile, MWSS chief regulator Patrick Ty said that the government is also at fault for the water shortage that is being experienced by tens of thousands of Metro Manila residents.
“They’re saying it’s our fault. Yes, it’s our fault. It’s everyone’s fault because we have been delaying all these projects. Right now, we can’t rely on Angat. It’s just one source. We need an alternative water source and we need it yesterday,” Ty said in an interview over ANC.
“It’s the fault of the government because it is the responsibility of the government to source all this water. I would just like to make it clear that we are doing something about it,” he added. (Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos)
