EDITORIALManila Water’s threats are unacceptableBy The Manila Timeshome/Opinion/Editorial/Manila Water’s threats are unacceptableACCORDING to water concessionaire Manila Water Co. Inc., if it and its counterpart Maynilad Water Services Inc. are compelled to follow a recent Supreme Court ruling, consumers in Metro Manila will see a 780-percent increase in their water rates and suffer even greater traffic congestion due to construction work. The alarming statement should be regarded by the public and the high court for what it is — an attempt to accomplish by threat what could not be achieved through a legal proceeding and dealt with appropriately. In its appeal of the ruling, Manila Water contended that the Supreme Court misread the Clean Water Act. Manila Water is arguing that the Clean Water Act allows it to essentially do nothing to improve the sewerage network, which was certainly not the law’s intent. The high court should make it clear that the company, and not its customers, should bear the costs of correcting its error.

Source: Manila Times October 11, 2019 16:18 UTC