Press Release
March 25, 2019

Poe on water interruptions: Apology is best expressed in monetary value

Saying that an apology is best expressed in monetary value, Sen. Grace Poe exhorted Manila Water Company Inc. to implement a fair and just adjustment in the bill for the month of March and the succeeding months without water supply of its affected customers.

Poe issued the statement as state regulator Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) and Manila Water officials meet on Monday, March 25 to discuss the adjustments.

Poe said MWSS must be vigilant in seeing to it that the people are not shortchanged by the computation of the bill reduction.

Manila Water, which covers Metro Manila's east zone, has stated in a number of times that it is looking at possible bill adjustments for its costumers, who have been inconvenienced by the supply shortage.

"Manila water can absorb it, their income will not dry up. It is a drop in their bucket of profits. An apology is best expressed monetarily," Poe said.

Poe said the bill adjustment should be forthcoming after the meeting of MWSS and Manila Water, and should be immediately felt by the people in their next billing.

"Manila Water should not be reaping profits even if the taps have run dry," Poe said.

As chairperson of the Senate Committee on Public Services, Poe facilitated a public hearing last week that revealed the extent of the water supply shortage problem and the apparent lack of foresight of state regulators in identifying measures to undertake to avert a water crisis.

Poe said the panel is preparing its preliminary report on the matter.

Poe said it is critical at this point to provide immediate relief to the consumers, who were not only inconvenienced, but who also spent money to buy containers and water and transport it to their homes.

By undertaking this commitment to adjust its charges, Poe said Manila Water will be showing good faith to the public that it was also prepared to do its responsibility in the wake of this water supply problem.

"Kung walang tumulong tubig sa gripo, bakit tayo magbabayad?" Poe said.

"What's most important is this should be treated as an urgent matter, and should be felt by the consumers as soon as possible," Poe said.

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