MANILA, Philippines — Mandaluyong City’s local government has requested Manila Water to provide static water tanks and a reliable schedule of the water service interruptions in the city and other parts of Metro Manila.
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“We’re just request[ing] sana na yung 12 affected barangays ay magkaroon sila ng static tank na lalagyan ng tubig para naman hindi hirap yung mga local firetrucks namin na kada eskinita maglalagay,’ Jimmy Isidro from the Mandaluyong Public Information Office told INQUIRER.net in a phone interview on Wednesday.
(We’re just requesting that the 12 affected barangays be provided with static tanks that can store water so the firetrucks need not go to each street.)
Residents of Metro Manila and parts of Rizal have been affected by water supply interruptions since March 7.
READ: LOOK: Long queues in Mandaluyong as taps go dry
“At para doon, meron na siyang kukunin ng tubig na permanent, yun ay proposal namin, pero Monday nangyari, Wednesday wala pang sagot,” he added.
(This way, they would have a permanent source of water. That’s our proposal. This happened Monday; they have no answer yet on Wednesday.)
A meeting was held between Mandaluyong City Mayor Carmelita Abalos, together with the barangay leaders and councilors, and some of the technical staff of Manila Water on Monday, amid the almost week-long water supply interruption in the city.
According to Isidro, the city’s local government has deployed a total of 27 firetrucks, including those from volunteers, which are now deployed to bring water to the 12 affected barangays daily.
Meanwhile, Manila Water has provided the community with five firetrucks.
Isidro said based on their discussions, the local government asked Manila Water to prioritize the condominiums and the private hospitals for water rationing. For their constituents in the villages, they are using the firetrucks of the local government.
Meanwhile, Mayor Abalos also requested Manila Water to provide a reliable schedule of the water service interruption.
“Ang sa amin lang, ang hinihingi lang namin sa Manila Water is the concrete scheduling so that people will know the time, kung anong oras magkakaroon, at anong oras mawawalan,” Isidro said.
(We are only asking the Manila water for a concrete schedule, so people will know the time the water supply will run out.)
“Ang hirap magplano kung hindi namin alam kung ano yung dadating kasi controlled ng Manila Water ang tubig, meron nga kaming mga truck kung wala rin naman kaming pagkukunan at meron nga kaming mga taong pwedeng mag-antay ng kung kailan magkakaroon ng tubig, hindi naman namin alam kung kailan darating, iyun ang pinakamahirap,” he added.
(It’s hard to plan if you don’t know when there will be water because the Manila Water controls it. We may have trucks and people but if we don’t have any water source, that will be difficult.)
Metro Manila’s eastern zone concessionaire has earlier said it will issue a new advisory announcing a new schedule of water service interruptions. /ee
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