AUG.

2, 2012

NR # 2819

House urged to probe water firms P6 billion illegal collections

Another lawmaker has called for a congressional probe into the P6-billion collections of two giant water concessionaires, which were found illegally collected from their consumers. In House Resolution 2559, Rep. Winston Castelo (2nd District, Quezon City) said the two water concessionaires - Maynilad and Manila Water Company - have illegally collected billions of pesos from the consuming public in their monthly bills supposedly intended for water projects such as the P5.4-billion Angat Water Reliability and P45.3billion Laiban Dam projects which are already terminated. Castelo urged the House Committee on Economic Affairs to initiate a summary inquiry to resolve whether or not the two water concessionaires should refund the P6billion back to end-consumers. With only two concessionaires in the water distribution business collecting monthly bills from all end-consumers in Metro Manila or in other areas, it is axiomatic that the amounts they are able to collect from consumers in their monthly bills amount to billions of pesos, Castelo said. Castelo said the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System Regulatory Office (MWSS-RO) already ordered said water firms to refund respective customers they have collected for the unimplemented water and sewerage improvement projects, along with the dam projects. The water firms should refund what they have illegally collected from the consuming public which is tantamount to be a crime of syndicated estafa as branded by Mr. Neal Cruz of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Castelo said. Two other lawmakers, Reps. Bernadette Herrera-Dy (Party-list, Bagong Henerasyon) and Teddy Casio (Party-list, Bayan Muna) have already questioned the two water firms on the issue. (30) lvc