Manila Water to increase rates starting Feb. 16

Starting Feb. 16, the six million customers of East Zone concessionaire Manila Water will have to shoulder an additional P1.50 to P57.60 a month on their water bills. For household customers who consume 10 cubic meters or less per day, the water company will impose an additional P1.50 a month on average. Those who consume 15 cubic meters a day should expect an additional P18, while those who consume 30 cubic meters a day should expect a monthly increase of P57.60. Household customers comprise 70 percent of Manila Water’s clientele. Commercial users, meanwhile, will see their water bills increase by P5.81 per cubic meter. Industrial users will pay an additional P6.32 per cubic meter. Jeric Sevilla, corporate communications manager of Manila Water, said the company could have increased its water prices by a higher minimum of at least P11.48 a month. Instead, the company has decided to increase its rates in five installments until 2012 “to make it easier for the water consuming public." Sevilla said the rate hike is part of the rate-rebasing program that Manila Water did in 2008. The company said it needs to hike its rates to repay its debts and improve its services. An official of a water rights group, meanwhile, questioned the rate hike saying the decision did not go through proper consultations with stakeholders. Arnold Padilla, coordinator of the Water for People Network, said his group for one was not consulted. In an interview with GMANews.TV, Padilla criticized the fare hike for coming at a time when prices of other basic goods and services, like food and transportation, are rising as well. “Sana man lang nagkaroon ng substantial na discussion (At least a substantial discussion should have taken place)," he said. He also criticized the privatization of water companies in the 1990’s, because the commodity should be insulated from commercial concerns. Padilla added that water should even be subsidized for the poorest families, who also deserve access to this basic need. — With Paterno Esmaquel II/VS, GMANews.TV