Duterte says going after water concessionaires one of things to boast to his children

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said going after the water concessionaires was one of the things he could boast to his children, making way for new agreements to be inked with the private firms.

In his final State of the Nation Address (SONA), Duterte said previous contracts allowed concessionaires to pay their corporate taxes through the fees paid by consumers, which was addressed by updated contracts.

“If there is something na hindi naman  [not really] proud, but if there is something some day that my children will say ‘What have you done for my country?’ Sabihin ko sila, talagang inupakan ko sila [I will tell them I really went after them (concessionaires)],” he said.

Duterte did not identify the firms, but he publicly squabbled with major water concessionaires Manila Water Company Inc. and Maynilad Water Services Inc. last year.

Duterte has also gone after several other contracts with private firms, which analysts warned could dent sentiment from overseas investors.

The President in June 2020 ordered new contracts to be made with the firms which he said must be “fair,” and said the concessionaires should return the money they supposedly stole from consumers.

“Now there’s a new contract, I have not thoroughly digested. ‘Pag nandyan na ‘yan [Once it’s there], then I will sign, but I will not forget in telling them the crime is there already, and any Filipino would want to go after you,” he said.

Key features of the revised concession agreements include the removal of government non-interference clauses, and the adjustment of provisions that compromise medium and long-term government liabilities.—AOL, GMA News