Drowning in water rate hikes

CONSUMERS DEMAND!
Mentong Laurel
2/7-13/2011



At the Broadcaster's Forum at Hotel Rembrandt last Feb. 3, among the first to speak was Manila Water spokesman Jeric Sevilla, who gave a very vague update on his company's impending water rate hike, saying only that it would be "very affordable." He then went on to embellish and elaborate on the "great things" Manila Water is doing and how it has expanded its service to other areas ahead of schedule.

I was very impatient to raise some issues but was prevailed upon by the moderator, Ka Lakay Gonzalo of DWIZ, to wait until all the guests spoke. When my turn came, I said, "Nowhere did the the Manila Water representative explain why the rate hike was necessary; no justification was ever given."

The rep, in response, essentially repeated his opening spiel, and how the company was expending capital even before the hikes are made. I informed everyone that contrary to these claims of "advancing capital," Manila Water had been given sovereign guarantees and rate hikes that advanced capital (taken from consumers) for their "investments," and had six years of tax holidays that have amounted to at least P5 billion.

The moderator was, of course, getting a bit uneasy, but I didn't tell Sevilla that I couldn't blame him for any of these abuses because he's just a lowly spokesman. I told the media audience, instead, that because "we" (the media) get too cozy or polite with the corporations without rubbing in the point, we're already being derelict in out duty to inform the public.

After that short exchange, the Forum had to shift to the other guests, who also weren't grilled in depth as the Kapihan format simply does not allow the time nor space for in-depth and intelligent discussions. And since the Forum failed to squeeze out details about the water rate hike, let us in OpinYon do it:

Starting Feb. 16, Manila Water "lifeline users" will be charged P1.37 more while those using between 10 to 30 cubic meters of water will be charged an additional P57; and those consuming more than 30 cubic meters will be charged P3.46 for every additional cubic meter.

On the other hand, Maynilad "lifeline users," or those who consume 10 cubic meters or less per month, will be charged by almost P2 more; those using up to 30 cubic meters will pay over P60 more per month while those using more than 30 cubic meters will pay P3.35 for every additional cubic meter.

MWSS said that the rate hikes are part of an agreement with these concessionaires. But do you know that because of distorted privatization, MWSS gets its salaries and bonuses from these concessionaires, too -- a conflict of interest that ensures MWSS will always approve their rate hikes?

MWSS lawyer Manuel Quizon says, "We have to balance the interest of the concessionaires at public sector kaya ang ginawa namin yung affordable land na pagtaas"--ah, just enough for the public to afford their next 30-month bonuses!

(Tune in to Sulo ng Pilipino, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 6 to 7 p.m., on 1098AM; TNT with HTL, Tuesday, 8 to 9 p.m., with replay at 11 p.m., on GNN, Destiny Cable Channel 8, about "ERC, Meralco and NPC power rip-offs" with Mang Naro Lualhati, Atty. "Batas" Mauricio, and Butch Junia; visit our blogs, http://newkatipunero.blogspot.com and http://hermantiulaurel.blogspot.com)