Outrageous Water Rate Hike in Roxas City

My mom's been telling about the price of water in Roxas City, and how we're being charged among the highest water rates in the entire country.. Now they're raising the minimums.

Much of the blame is not on the present administration of the Metro Roxas Water District (MRWD) though but on the past directors.

I remember coming across news articles in the past where Mar Roxas had an outburst because the directors of this water concession incurred loans totalling about a billion pesos to bankroll ambitious water projects to other farther municipalities, not anymoe within roxas city nor the Metro Roxas districts. Sen. Mar got mad because the improved water utility system in the Roxas was one of the first and best legacies of his late brother Dinggoy Roxas when he was still our congressman.

Then I also heard from sources that the MWRD officials bought lots of land paid for by MWRD which they conveniently awarded themselves.

Geeez.

here's the latest news clip about this major Fiasco.


Capiz water distributor to hold public hearings on rate hike
By Felipe V. Celino
Visayas Bureau
First Posted 18:07:00 02/18/2008

ROXAS CITY, Philippines -- The Metro Roxas Water District (MRWD) finally acceded to the call of local officials here to conduct a public hearing on the proposed 10-percent water rate increase.

In a meeting called by Capiz Governor Victor Tanco Sr. with the interim MRWD officials on Friday, MRWD agreed to hold a public hearing at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Capiz Provincial Capitol.

The MRWD had planned to implement the 10-percent hike in water rates starting January.

In a letter to Capiz provincial government dated January 30, 2008, Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) administrator Orlando Honrade said the implementation of the water rates hike was valid and enforceable without the need of a public hearing or further review.

"It must be emphasized that once the proposed water rate increase is duly taken up or discussed in a public hearing and subsequently reviewed and approved by the administration, the same may be implemented as approved in a resolution for implementation by the concerned water district in this case, in accordance with the original time frame or much later at the discretion of the water district board," Honrade explained.

He noted that the MWRD conducted a public hearing on January 14, 2000, on the proposed increase in water rates that would be implemented on a staggered basis from only P130 minimum rate for 10-cubic meter consumption.

The MRWD approved Resolution no. 24 S-2004 for new minimum water rates of P170 on April 2004, P192 on October 2004, P230 on April 2005, P270 on October 2005 and P290 on October 2006.

However, the scheduled increases did not push through due to a moratorium on the increase that would end by 2010.

The MWRD presently charges minimum water rate of P172.

Last December, the water district sent notices to its concessionaires informing them of new minimum rates of P189.20 for residential users, P302.70 for government; P378.40 for commercial and P605.40 for industrial that would be implemented in January.

But the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Capiz passed a resolution on January 17, 2008, objecting to the 10-percent water rate increase by the MRWD starting last month.

The provincial board also passed a resolution asking MRWD to present before the provincial board the details of the intended rates increases.

The Capiz provincial board also maintained that the MRWD failed to comply with the requirements for the implementation of a water rate hike, such as holding of public hearing on the proposal and review by the LWUA.

Tanco then called a meeting with MRWD officials on February 12 to discuss the issue and to come up with a win-win solution.

MRWD interim general manager Pablo Bercilla explained that the collections from the increase would be used for the rehabilitation of old pipelines in the eastern part of Roxas City and the old water treatment plant in Arcabalo, Roxas City.