Lawmaker: Manila Water should reimburse hospitals hit by shortage

Akbayan Partylist Rep. Tom Villarin. INQUIRER.net PHOTO/CATHY MIRANDA

Water concessionaire Manila Water Co. Inc. should pay the government at least P1.4 million for creating a “crisis” at health centers due to water outages, a party-list lawmaker said on Saturday.

“Manila Water should be taught a lesson: when you cause a crisis, you should pay for it,” said Akbayan Rep. Tomasito Villarin.

Manila Water, which serves Metro Manila’s east zone, admitted at a House hearing on March 20 that its service area had been suffering a “supply deficit” since March 6. The main reason cited for the shortage was the decline in water level at La Mesa Dam.

Villarin said the water shortage almost caused a health crisis because six public hospitals in Metro Manila had to pay P1.4 million in added operational costs from March 8 to 18.

“Manila Water’s next step should be to reimburse public hospitals,” he said. —Melvin Gascon