National Water Summit: Problems and Reactions

(Writer’s note: Archbishop Valles nominated me to represent the religious sector in the Davao City Water Management Council. He sent me to the March 20-22 National Water Summit at the Manila MOA SMX.)

The National Water Summit was held at the SMX, Mall of Asia in Manila, March 20-22, 2019.

Of the 1,000 plus towns and cities, only about 693 have water districts. About 660 districts have the same problems. So most of the 1,000 local delegates expected the summit to help them.

The problems are: 1. No money to buy pipes, valves, pumps, generators, and water meters to improve and expand water services; 2. No money to buy and replace busted, old, damaged pipes, valves, pumps, etc. to cut leaks; 3. No money to buy excavators, payloaders, trucks, etc.; 4. No money to send workers for more training and to pay experts; 5. No money to dig more wells, build dams, water tank, etc.

The big SMX ground floor was filled with about 200 exhibits of all kinds of water-related products from pipes, valves, pumps, mini to maxi water laboratories, videos, models of sewage and solid waste treatment plants, coming mostly from China, E.U., Singapore, Malaysia, etc. Bong Go was one of the 4 opening session speakers but Malacañang spokesman Atty. Panelo replaced him.

On the night of March 19, the president called MWSS, Maynilad (Consunji-owned) and Manila Water (Ayala-owned) top officials for a meeting. The Manila water crisis was on its 2nd week. Atty. Panelo rubbed salt to the wound as the first speaker by saying that he took a bath before going to SMX but halfway through, water ran out. Hilaw kaayo ang katawa sa MWSS, Maynilad and Manila big shots.

Panelo was very diplomatic in describing the meeting. He said the President entered hurriedly without looking at the water big shots and gave a 40-minute monologue which in words, sound and delivery showed he was angry. It was as if he was saying must I solve Manila water problems; did I not appoint you too the MWSS serve and protect the interest of the 16 million Metro Manila people.

Maynilad (Consunji) and Manila (Ayala) are owned by the biggest, richest conglomerates. They have the highest paid technocrats, consultants with PhDs, MBAs, summa, magna and cum laude super geniuses.

In 2018, World Weather agencies and PAG-ASA already said many times to expect and drought beginning February 2019, yet MWSS did not prod Maynilad and Manila prepare Plan A, B, C, D, ad nauseam to meet all possibilities their brilliant staffs could imagine.

The second and third speakers (MWSS and Maynilad) half-heartedly gave bland excuses which the audience did not accept. They acted as if they were caught going out of the window to cut classes. The fourth speaker was a new Manila Water executive. None of the Manila Water top honchos showed up. This young speaker faced a very angry crowd and tried his very best to explain the crisis in a very friendly way. If only for being brave in speaking to a hostile crowd in an honest, courteous, nice manner, Ayala should appoint him Manila Water’s President.