Maynilad Water Services, Inc. (Maynilad) President and CEO Ramoncito S. Fernandez called the Water Resource Management Office (WRMO) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources “a valuable ally” of the water sector in furthering its goal of improving water services.
Besides promoting synergies among the various government agencies involved in water, Fernandez said the water concessionaires now has the WRMO to help in getting its concerns prioritized.
Fernandez noted that in the way of doing business today, water concessionaires are often the ones who have to give way to road or rail projects—rather than the other way around—even if doing so will involve the realignment of existing underground infrastructure and disrupt water service for customers.
“We are very happy that we now have an ally in WRMO,” said Fernandez, who was one of the panelists during the “Philippine Water Management Agenda: Ensuring Sustainability and Security” forum that was graced by local industry leaders. Also present at the event was DENR Secretary Ma. Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga.
With this development, Maynilad is optimistic that it can facilitate the implementation of its capital expenditure projects that are essential to enhancing service reliability, including those that will help to mitigate the effects of El Niño. The company vows to deliver its Php163 billion water and wastewater Capex projects from 2023 to 2027.
Last April 2023, President Ferdinand E. Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order (EO) No. 22 creating the WRMO to manage the Philippines’ water resources and respond to the current environmental challenges through integrated government efforts. Under EO No. 22, all water-related agencies will be attached to the DENR, among which are the National Water Resources Board, Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System, Local Water Utilities Administration and the network of local water districts, and the Laguna Lake Development Authority.
Maynilad is the largest private water concessionaire in the Philippines in terms of customer base. It is a concessionaire of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) for the West Zone of the Greater Manila Area, which is composed of the cities of Manila (certain portions), Quezon City (certain portions), Makati (west of South Super Highway), Caloocan, Pasay, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Valenzuela, Navotas and Malabon all in Metro Manila; the cities of Cavite, Bacoor and Imus, and the towns of Kawit, Noveleta and Rosario, all in Cavite Province.
PHOTO CAPTION: Maynilad CEO Ramoncito S. Fernandez (5th from left) thanked WRMO for serving as an ally for the water sector during the “Philippine Water Management Agenda: Ensuring Sustainability and Security” forum held recently in Quezon City. The event gathered key stakeholders from different sectors, including DENR Secretary Ma. Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga. With Fernandez during the panel discussion were (from left) World Bank Policy and Regulatory Consultant and Senior Disaster Risk Management Consultant Atty. Karen Jimeno, CitizenWatch Philippines Co-Convenor Atty. Christopher “Kit” Belmonte, Filinvest Development Corporation Utilities, Inc. President and CEO Juan Eugenio Roxas, Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc. Head of Water Business and President of Apo Agua Infrastructura, Inc. Anna Victoria Lu, Manila Water President and CEO Jose Victor Emmanuel De Dios, MWSS Administrator Engr. Leonor Cleofas, DENR Undersecretary for Integrated Environmental Science Dr. Carlos Primo David, and Ateneo School of Governance Professor Dr. Philamer Torio who joined virtually.
