Poor Metro Manila households to enjoy 20% cut in water bill

MANILA, Philippines - Starting Monday, low-income households in Metro Manila who consume 10 cubic meters of water or less will enjoy a 20 percent cut in their water bill, Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said. Bunye said on top of this month's water cut, another reduction can be expected next month because of the strong showing of the peso against the dollar. “Metro Manila residents could expect another round of water rate reduction in April as a consequence of a reduction in April as a consequence of a reduction in the Foreign Currency Differential Adjustment due to the continued strength of the peso against the US dollar," Bunye said in a statement. The announcement came after the respective boards of the Manila Water Company Inc. (MWCI) and the Maynilad Water Services Inc. (MWSI) agreed to the request made by government corporate counsel Alberto Agra. "The MWCI, which covers the East Zone, and the MWSI, which covers the West Zone, are voluntary causing the reduction in the current water rates," Bunye said. In the East Zone, at least 80,000 households or more than 700,000 people will pay P17 less for their water consumption. This covers residents of Cubao, Marikina, Pasig, Taguig, San Juan, Mandaluyong, parts of Quezon City, Makati, Manila and Rizal Province who used to pay P88 per month and will now only shell out P71. In the West Zone, P20.50 will be deducted from the usual water bill of residents from the current rate of P116.46 to the reduced rate of P95.96. This covers low-income consumers from Pasay, Navotas, Caloocan, Malabon, Valenzuela, Parañaque, some parts of Quezon City and Makati City, Imus, Noveleta, Cavite City, Bacoor, Muntinlupa, Las Piñas and Manila. The reduction of the water rate in the West Zone would benefit 150,000 households, which translates to around 1.35 million individuals. "Thus, a total of 230,000 households or some 1.5 million people will enjoy the water rate cuts," Bunye said. "The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System, together with the MWCI and the MWSI, are continually exploring other means of further reducing the water rates," he added. - Alena Gonzales, GMANews.TV