House panel clears franchise of Manila Water and Maynilad

A HOUSE panel on Monday approved the franchise grant of water concessionaires Maynilad Water Services, Inc. and Manila Water Co., Inc.; however, this was opposed by a lawmaker for being too immediate.

The House Committee on Legislative Franchises on Monday approved House bills 9367 and 9313, which grant the franchise of Maynilad and Manila Water, respectively. The panel voted 23-2 for Manila Water and 19-2 for Maynilad.

If legislated, the bills will extend the authority of Maynilad and Manila Water to establish, operate, and maintain waterworks and sewerage in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani T. Zarate opposed the speedy grant of the franchise at committee level, adding that the bills were approved before thorough discussions on amendments were made and before crucial stakeholders have yet to air their issues.

He added that the importance of the presence of representatives from Department of Finance, Department of Justice (DoJ), and the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel who did not appear in the hearing. The said departments were involved in the water concession negotiations with the two water service providers.

“This happened even when the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System-Corporate Office (MWSS-CO) had raised issues on the bills, and, the amendments being proposed by the sponsors have yet to be fully discussed,” he said in a statement on Monday.

“Representatives from the Office of the President should have been invited to discuss the implications of the revised concessionaire agreements between the Duterte administration and the two (2) water concessionaires. We have yet to fully scrutinize the texts and annexes of the new deals and if they are detrimental to Filipino consumers,” he added.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte first offered the two concessionaires new contracts last year after the DoJ found onerous provisions in the original concession agreements, which was blamed for high water rates. The same department was also tasked to draft the new contracts, which were signed by Manila Water and Maynilad this year. — Gillian M. Cortez