Manila Water accepts COO’s resignation
MANILA WATER Co., Inc. said on Tuesday that it had accepted the resignation of Geodino V. Carpio, its chief operating officer (COO) during the time when the water concessionaire’s customers in Metro Manila’s east zone started experiencing water shortage.
In its disclosure to the stock exchange, the Ayala-led company named Abelardo P. Basilio as acting COO for Manila Water operations.
“The resignation of Mr. Carpio and the appointment of Mr. Basilio will take effect at the close of business hours today (April 16),” the company said.
Manila Water said the 58-year-old Mr. Carpio departed because of “early retirement.” He first faced reporters March 12 to explain the reason for the water woes, which Manila Water said started on March 6.
Mr. Basilio will serve as acting COO concurrently with his roles as group director for strategic asset management and data protection officer.
Manila Water said Mr. Basilio has been with the company for 22 years. He was previously its director of technical services group, group director of the east zone business operations and officer-in-charge head of corporate regulatory affairs group.
“In 1984, Mr. Basilio joined the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage Systems as a young cadet,” the company said, adding that he had gained experience in water utility operations, including hydraulic engineering, water treatment, distribution and network management.
Mr. Basilio has a degree in civil engineering from the University of the Philippines under the university scholarship program. He completed a management development program in Asian Institute of Management, water network design and modelling in Manchester, United Kingdom, and SCADA/Telemetry training in Singapore.
In a text message on April 3, Mr. Carpio said he had been out sick since late March and was thus not updated to answer queries about the company’s water shortage problem.
On March 19, President Rodrigo R. Duterte directed Manila Water and other water stakeholders in a meeting in Malacañang to submit a report explaining the massive water interruption.
Meanwhile, Manila Water reported a 6% increase in its attributable net income to P6.5 billion in 2018, on the back of a 7% jump in revenue from contracts with customers to P19.83 billion. — Victor V. Saulon
