By Azer Parrocha/PNA
MANILA — President Rodrigo R. Duterte will be meeting with officials of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) to discuss updates on measures to address the water shortage in Metro Manila, Malacañang said on Tuesday.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the meeting between the President and MWSS officials will take place at the Malacañan Palace at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
This meeting comes after Duterte ordered the MWSS to demand from its concessionaires the release 150 days of water from the Angat Dam on March 15.
“Mage-explain ang MWSS. Magre-report sila kung ano na nangyayari. Di ba may directive siya (The MWSS will explain. They will report on what is happening. Remember he made a directive)? Panelo told reporters in an interview after the regular Palace briefing.
Cabinet Secretary Karlos Nograles is currently drafting a proposed Executive Order (EO) to address the water shortage in Metro Manila.
The EO will soon be submitted to President Rodrigo R. Duterte for his input and approval.
On Monday, Panelo blamed “inefficiency” and “mismanagement” on the part of water concessionaire Manila Water for causing a water crisis when it was a simple problem that could have been easily fixed.
“Iyong lang problema na iyon, nagawan kaagad nila ng paraan eh. Simpleng-simple lang ang problema (That problem, they were already able to solve it. It’s a simple problem),” Panelo said.
“They created their own problem, and they provide the solution. It’s pure inefficiency, mismanagement on the part of Manila Water,” he added.
Panelo also suggested the establishment of water reservoirs in all cities and provinces, where water is collected and kept in quantity, and exploiting deep well to access groundwater.
