Duterte slams MWSS: ‘Why didn’t you prepare for El Niño?’

Having a steady supply of drinking water remains a luxury in urban poor communities, like the slums of Tondo, Manila. MARIANNE BERMUDEZ / FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has slammed Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) anew for being unprepared for the El Niño season.

Duterte said that MWSS did not prepare despite the El Niño season being an annual phenomenon, adding that water supply was already depleted even before the dry spell began.

“MWSS. Anak ka ng p***, [every year] may El Niño. Bakit hindi ninyo napaghandaan? Hindi pa nga dumating ang El Niño wala nang tubig. P***** i**,” Duterte said Saturday during the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino – Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-LABAN) campaign rally at the Centennial Stage, Kaamulan Park in Malaybalay City in Bukidnon.

(MWSS, that son of a b**ch. Every year there is El Niño. Why didn’t you prepare for this? There was no water supply even before El Niño happened.)

Duterte added that it seemed MWSS only addressed the issue when he threatened to visit their office.

In March, customers of Manila Water in parts of Metro Manila’s east zone experienced water shortage for more than a week. Residents of nearby provinces were also affected.

Duterte warned to fire MWSS officials following the incident and sought for an explanation for the water shortage.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said that Duterte ordered MWSS officials to submit a report regarding the incident before deciding “whether heads will roll or whether the contracts of the concessionaires will be terminated.”

Duterte is set to release his decision on April 15, five days after the deadline of the reports. /je