BUSINESS groups on Monday demanded that the government secure a secondary water source for Metro Manila so as not to repeat the ongoing shortage experienced in the capital and its surrounding areas.
In a joint statement, business groups supported President Duterte’s directive to solve the water service interruption in the east zone concession within 150 days. They also lauded measures the government developed in consultation with stakeholders, including water regulators and the two water concessionaires.
“Accordingly, we are encouraged and confident that these interim measures will adequately resolve the water shortage and bring relief to consumers in the shortest possible time,” the statement read.
“For the longer term, the resoluteness manifested by the Duterte administration in undertaking solutions to ensure sustainable supply of raw water is most encouraging.
In this regard, the private water concessionaires, being accountable for rendering water service to the public, should be allowed the option to provide raw water supply for their respective zones,” it added.
Secondary source
Business groups, however, were firm the government has to secure a secondary water source for Metro Manila.
Metro Manila sources 96 percent of its water supply from Angat Dam. Concessionaire Manila Water exhausted its allocation in Angat Dam of 1,600 millions liters per day, and was prompted therefore to utilize the La Mesa Dam supposedly used for reserves.
“Looking to the future, we also need to secure a secondary water source to address the growing needs of Metro Manila and its surrounding areas,” the statement read.
Businesses also defended the privatization of water service. They argued the interruption over the past weeks “is not a total failure of the system” and “that water service in Metro Manila has vastly improved in almost two decades since the service was privatized.”
They concluded many lessons can be picked up from the crisis that hit the capital, and hoped these will be used as basis for crafting ways to better the service and avert a similar crisis in the future.
The joint statement was signed by the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Asia Pacific Real Estate Association, Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines, Foundation for Economic Freedom and the Institute of Corporate Directors. The Management Association of the Philippines and the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants also inked the statement.
The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) last week demanded more accountability from Manila Water for its failure to prevent and subsequently manage the water shortage in Metro Manila.
In a strongly worded statement, the PCCI said the economic impact of the water crisis should not be swept under the rug. The group said many businesses had to shut down or limit their operations, and services were disrupted due the water shortage.
Image credits: Roy Domingo