Residents take a bath with mineral water

Residents affected by the lengthy water service interruption in Metro Manila and Rizal have started buying mineral and distilled water from refilling stations just to take a bath.

In a report on State of the Nation with Jessica Soho on Thursday, the residents said buying gallons of water was a small price to pay because it kept them clean and hydrated while the supply of water has not been restored.

"Pagligo, pag-banlaw, kasama na inom do'n!" a resident, Dennis Anselmo, joked.

"(Anong feeling na distilled water ang pinanliligo niyo?) Syempre, mas masarap!" he said.

A consumer rights watchdog group, meanwhile,  urged the government to do something about "profiteers" taking advantage of the supply problem.

In a television interview, Laban Konsyumer, Inc. (LKI) president Vic Dimagiba expressed concern over reports of water refilling stations and providers that are charging too much for water which, he stressed, is a basic necessity.

"Huwag na silang mag-turuan kesa DTI (Department of Trade and Industry), kesa local government unit, magtulong-tulong na sila," Dimagiba said.

"Kasi kung hindi nila ko-control-in 'yan, nako, baka mangyari 'yung katulad doon sa experience namin sa Ondoy, doon sa Tacloban, pumalo din ng P200 (kada) isang galon ng tubig doon," he added. —Margaret Claire Layug/ LDF, GMA News