Neophyte Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go said yesterday President Duterte is angry over reports of another water shortage in Metro Manila and nearby provinces affecting 28 million consumers.
“Nagalit ang Pangulo, binuksan naman nila, merong tubig. Hindi ako naniniwala sa mga shortage na ‘yan,’’ Go said in a statement sent to Senate reporters through Viber.
Go, chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, called on the two water supply concessionaries – Maynilad and Manila Water – not to pass the burden to the people and resolve issues as mandated in their contracts.
“Huwag niyo pong ipasa yung burden sa taumbayan. Pumasok po kayo diyan sa negosyong ‘yan, sagutin niyo po. Huwag po kayong pumirma ng kontrata na hindi niyo kayang i-comply ‘yung pagsu-supply ng tubig,’’ he said.
Go, the former Special Assistant to the President, stressed that he would ask the President to review the contracts of these water suppliers.
“Yes dapat ipa-review ng Pangulo. I will suggest to the President na i-review ‘yung kontrata na hindi po pabor sa taumbayan,” he said. “Dapat ‘pag pumasok ka sa kontratang ‘yan ay dapat panindigan niyo ‘yung supply ng tubig, pati yung babayaran, penalties,’’ he added.
“Do not pass the burden to the public,” the senator stressed.
The two water concessionaires have earlier warned customers in Metro Manila, Cavite, and Rizal that a water shortage would be looming in the coming days.
In a statement on Oct. 17, Maynilad explained that it hardly rains over the Angat and Ipo watersheds in recent days, causing the dams’ water levels to continuously go down.
“At dahil nananatili sa 40 cubic meters per second lamang, mula sa normal na 48 cms, ang kasalukuyang alokasyon ng tubig mula sa Angat Dam, kapos ang raw water supply na pumapasok sa Ipo Dam at sa treatment facilities ng Maynilad,” Maynilad said.
The Ayala-led Manila Water started a rotational water service interruption last Thursday.
“This is necessary because we want to ensure that the still-limited raw water supply will last even beyond the summer of 2020 since Angat Dam may not reach its ideal 212-meter level by the end of 2019,” Manila Water said in a statement. (Mario Casayuran)
