Poe suggests 2-month ‘amnesty’ for Manila Water customers amid shortage

Senator Grace Poe on Tuesday raised the idea of Manila Water Company giving its customers "amnesty," or free water service for two months due to the inconvenience caused by the water shortage that hit parts of Metro Manila and Rizal province.

That or a refund or rebate, Poe said in an interview with reporters after the Senate public services committee hearing on the matter.

“Siguro magkakaroon ng  refund ang ating consumers. Kung sana nga magkaroon ng amnesty ng dalawang buwan, ang laki ng naging perwisyo kasi,” said the senator.

However, she added, she wants to wait first for the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System's (MWSS) recommendation and computation.

“Para sa akin, imposibleng walang kompensasyon sa mga nangungunsumo dahil tayo ay nangungunsumi talaga ngayon.  Pati ang local governments ang laki ng gastos nila para mabigyan ng suporta ang mga tao habang walang tubig,” Poe said.

“Kaya lahat ‘yan ay may damage, may amount 'yan. So paano ngayon mare-refund lahat ‘yan ng Manila Water sa kanilang mga consumer,” she added.

Earlier in the day, Manila Water said it was open to adjusting its rates amid the water shortage.

Poe, who is also affected by the water shortage, said Manila Water has responsibility over it, but that the MWSS has the bigger liability for failing to prevent it from happening when the former already warned about it as early as last year.

“Talagang may pagkukulang [ang MWSS] dahil bakit ngayon lang, sabi na dati sa kanila ng Manila Water na may problema ito. ‘Di ba MWSS mismo ang nagsabi na wala tayong water crisis,” she said.

“So sa tingin ko hindi nila ginagawa ‘yung trabaho nila. Alam mo ang nakakalungkot dito, malaki ang naging pagkukulang ng Manila Water pero sa tingin ko mas malaki ang pagkukulang ng MWSS,” Poe added.

She said MWSS failed to have foresight because its board is full of lawyers and does not include any engineers.

“Ang MWSS dapat meron silang inhinyero, e puro abugado sila doon. Imbes na civil engineer na nakalagay doon sa kanilang regulasyon, ang nandoon ay chemical engineer. In short, hindi talaga nila nakita ang problemang ito dahil hindi na nila naiintindihan,” she said.

The senator said the MWSS should reorganize its board for the inclusion of a civil engineer.

“Dapat talaga merong engineer doon, a technical expert who understands the situation because if they are all lawyers, wala silang gagawin kundi puro mga legal na bagay, hindi ‘yung technical na makakapaketo sa daloy ng tubig.  Malaking pagkukulang ng MWSS na hindi nila nakita ito,” she said. — BM, GMA News