Duterte vows to correct all gov’t contracts before stepping down

MANILA, Philippines—President Rodrigo Duterte has vowed to “correct” all contracts entered into by the government before he steps down from office in 2022 amid his administration’s tiff with Manila Water and Maynilad over the alleged “onerous” water concession agreements.

“All contracts that are prejudicial to the Filipino people will be corrected. ‘Yan ang maaasahan mo (you can expect that), within the limited time left for me in office,” Duterte said in an interview over ABS-CBN’s TV Patrol.

Maynilad Water and Manila Water supply water to Metro Manila and nearby provinces under 25-year concession deals signed in 1997, but President Rodrigo Duterte previously ordered the government lawyers to craft new concession deals after labeling the current agreements with the two water firms as “onerous and disadvantageous” to Filipinos.

Duterte earlier said the government would take over water distribution services if the two water firms refuse to accept the new water deals being crafted now by government lawyers.

In April 2019, the President ordered the review of all government contracts to remove any onerous provision detrimental to the public interest.