In a “praise” release, the Mayor of Parañaque announced that Malacañang has empowered the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) to provide service to waterless villages, especially those abandoned or neglected by developers or owners with the issuance of Executive Order 688.
Officials, leaders, and residents of BF Homes in Parañaque are rejoicing and thanking the President Arroyo’s landmark executive order through the efforts of the mayor.
But, hey, Malacañang has already empowered MWSS to takeover the water supply system in residential subdivision 30 years ago, for crying out loud!
Presidential Decree 1345 issued April 2, 1978, empowers the “MWSS” to “take over the operation and maintenance of centralized water systems of residential subdivisions within its territorial jurisdiction …” and “shall thereafter cause the system to operate at the desired level … chargeable to the subdivision owner/developer…”
Unfortunately, as we all know, MWSS is no longer in the water distribution business in Metro Manila. It consequently does not have financial and personnel resources for a takeover contemplated by the Presidential Decree. The Executive Order will most probably empower MWSS to takeover the water system of BF Waterworks and turn it over to Maynilad, the franchisee south of Metro Manila.
The problem with this “shuffle” is that the cost to render the system operable chargeable to the subdivision owner/developer under the Presidential Decree will be shifted to the homeowners. And to sweeten the pie, Maynilad will be charging commercial rate (higher than residential rate) probably to the existing BF Waterworks or homeowners associations who in turn will be adding their own operating markups. Homeowners will be told to be grateful for the “equal sufferance” supply of water (rationing) at a cost less than that of “dirty” water delivered by enterprising water haulers.
As P.T. Barnum used to say, “Suckers are born every minute.”
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