Manila Water customers to get rollback, Maynilad's get rate hike

Customers of water service concessionaire Manila Water will get a rate rollback of P2.77 per cubic meter which will be reflected in their June billing, but this rate cut is far from the seven pesos the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System had earlier ordered.

 

The MWSS recently won, in international arbitration court, against Manila Water, which had been passing on to their customers their income tax burden. 

 

As a result of this legal victory, which Manila Water said it will no longer appeal, customers can expect more rate cuts, but Manila Water said the rollbacks will be spread over two years, GMA News reported in its evening newscasts on Tuesday.


 

 

Customers of Maynilad Water will, in contrast, pay more for their water.

 

The MWSS is insisting that Maynilad should charge an additional P1.00 per cubic meter. MWSS slashed the over P4.00 per cubic meter Maynilad wanted to charge.

 

Maynilad is opposing the MWSS on this because in the arbitration case they went through with MWSS, Maynilad won. The arbitration panel issued its decision last January.

 

Maynilad said that with the MWSS move, they will seek damages over over P3 billion and they will again haul the MWSS back to arbitration.

 

MWSS said they are just following their charter mandate to implement a tariff that is just and equitable.  — Andrei Medina/ELR, GMA News