Maynilad, Manila Water ordered to extend suspension of disconnection activities until May 14

The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System Regulatory Office (MWSS-RO) has ordered Maynilad and Manila Water to further extend the suspension of service disconnection activities after the government extended the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) in the National Capital Region (NCR) Plus bubble until mid-May.

“In line with President Rodrigo Roa Duterte's decision to extend the MECQ in the NCR Plus bubble, the MWSS-RO's directive to Maynilad and Manila Water to suspend ALL service disconnection activities is still in effect,” the regulator said in a statement.

President Rodrigo Duterte has extended the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) in the National Capital Region and the adjacent provinces of Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, and Laguna or the NCR Plus bubble until May 14, 2021.

This is one notch looser than the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) which was imposed in the bubble starting March 29. It was set to last only until April 4, but was extended for another week until April 11.

“We will continue to abide by the directive of MWSS-RO to suspend disconnection activities during the extended MECQ,” Manila Water head of Corporate Communications Jeric Sevilla told GMA News Online.

“We will comply with the directive, as we also understand the need for uninterrupted water service at this time. Nonetheless, we will continue our meter reading and billing activities during the MECQ so that our customers can be assured that their bills bear actual (not averaged) consumption,” Maynilad Corporate Communications head Jennifer Casipit-Rufo said in a text message.

Maynilad currently serves customers in the west zone which covers the cities of Caloocan, Las Piñas, Makati, Malabon, Manila, Muntinlupa, Navotas, Parañaque, Pasay, Quezon, Valenzuela. It also services certain areas in Cavite such as the cities of Bacoor, Cavite, and Imus; and the towns of Kawit, Noveleta, and Rosario.

Meanwhile, Manila Water is the east zone concessionaire which services 23 cities and municipalities including Mandaluyong, Makati, Pasig, Pateros, San Juan, Taguig, Marikina, and parts of Quezon City and Manila, as well as the towns of Angono, Baras, Binangonan, Cainta, Cardona, Jalajala, Morong, Pililia, Rodriguez, Tanay, Taytay, Teresa, San Mateo, and Antipolo in the province of Rizal.