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Duterte threatens to fire MWSS officials, terminate concessionaires’ contracts amid water shortage
President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday castigated officials of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) and water concessionaires Manila Water and Maynilad over the water shortage gripping parts of Metro Manila and Rizal province.
Duterte had a closed-door meeting with the officials in Malacañang which was described by presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo as “more of a presidential monologue” lasting for about 40 minutes.
Panelo, who was present in the meeting, said the President took the MWSS, Manila Water and Maynilad to task for not doing their job in ensuring that the people be provided with ample water supply.
Among those present in the meeting were MWSS Chairman Franklin Demonteverde and Administrator Reynaldo Velasco.
“The Chief Executive told them he was not going to listen to their explanation as to why there was a water shortage as such would be just plain excuses,” Panelo said in a statement on Wednesday.
“They simply did not do their job. ‘All they care about is get profit from the water of the people’ and to their sufferance as well.”
Panelo said the President told the officials they could have simply anticipated such shortage and could have done something about it yet “they had to wait for him to threaten them with personally rushing to Manila from Davao to grapple with the crisis before they moved to end it.”
Duterte claimed that the officials knew of the problem leading to the water shortage but they did not resolve to prevent it from happening.
“The Chief Executive bluntly told them to ‘shape up or ship out!’ said Panelo, who earlier concluded that the water shortage was a result of mismanagement and inefficiency on the part of the Manila Water.
Duterte earlier ordered the MWSS to demand from the water concessionaires the release of 150 days' worth of water from Angat Dam in Bulacan to ensure supply water to those affected by service interruptions.
Velasco then assured that the MWSS and the concessionaires —Manila Water, Maynilad and Bulacan Bulk Water—will do their best to solve the water shortage in 150 days or around five months.
In a stern message delivered without even once looking at the officials, the obviously outraged President threatened to fire the MWSS officials and terminate the concessionaires’ contracts,” Panelo said.
“The President expressed his evident displeasure by saying that he hoped that at the end of the day the water crisis was not just a matter of common sense.”
Duterte directed the officials to submit a report on the water shortage before April 7, after which he will decide whether heads will roll or whether the contracts of the concessionaires will be terminated, according to Panelo.
“The President reiterated that he is constitutionally tasked to serve and protect the citizenry, and he will not equivocate to take swift and drastic actions to secure the people from discomfort and shield them from suffering, regardless of the dire consequences to the players of the water industry,” the Palace official said.
Manila Water, the east zone concessionaire, has been implementing water interruptions in several areas in Metro Manila and Rizal to ensure that water supply can last until June or the onset of the rainy season. Due to the effects of the El Niño phenomenon, lesser rainfall is expected in the coming months.
Manila Water had said the problems of increasing demand and inadequate supply have been aggravated by the El Niño phenomenon.
The Ayala-led firm has already apologized for the water shortage and expressed openness to implementing adjustments on its customers' water bills. — BAP, GMA News
