PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte announced on Thursday that he has chosen a new chairman of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), saying retired Army General Ricardo Morales will take over.
Mr. Duterte made the announcement at a thanksgiving party given for Senator-elect Christopher Lawrence “Bong” T. Go in Davao City on Thursday night.
The Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) e-mailed a transcript of the President’s speech making the announcement on Friday evening to reporters.
“Hindi ako pumapayag ng corruption…. Ang kinuha kong chairman sa MWSS, si Dick Morales, Dick…. ’Yon ’yung sundalo na RAM na nahuli sa Malacañan. Rebelde pala,” he said. (I do not allow corruption…. I got Dick Morales to be chairman of the MWSS…. He is the RAM soldier who was caught in Malacañan. He is a rebel)
This announcement comes after the water supply crisis hit Metro Manila in March.
On March 20, Mr. Duterte told MWSS officials and water concessionaires to “shape up or ship out” and even threatened to terminate the concession agreements.
He said he would appoint Filipino engineers working abroad to replace current MWSS officials. — Arjay L. Balinbin
