Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Starting Sept. 1, water bill up 12%
The best way to fight the water rate increase is to conserve water, said an official of the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD).
Terry Andaya of MCWD made the suggestion a day after the utility firm announced it will implement a 12-percent increase in water rates starting tomorrow.
The new rates are P122 for the first 10 cu. m., P13.40 per cu. m. for consumption of 11-20 cu. m., P15.75 per cu. m. for every 21-30 cu. m. consumed; and P43.20 per cu. m. for consumption of 31 cu. m. and above.
Andaya, MCWD corporate communications manager, said that if a family consumes 14 cu. m. a month, they will have to pay P187.60 at P13.40 per cu. m.
But if the consumption is lowered to only 10 cu. m., they will only pay P122.
Also, while the minimum rate was raised from P108 to P122, this will be reduced to only P115.90 if the consumers pay on time.
Aside from having to pay less, Andaya said, consuming less water will also translate to less quantity of water to be extracted and an increase in the water reserve.
MCWD is among the water districts in Cebu. The others are in the towns of Bogo, Borbon, Moalboal, Dalaguete, Carcar and Pinamungajan.
No need?
Last February, Rep. Raul del Mar (Cebu City north) said that if MCWD does not have major expenditures, he does not see any reason for the increase.
But MCWD general manager Armando Paredes said the increase is needed to avoid financial losses from inflation, to fund development of its own water sources and to improve its system.
However, Souie Mercado, president of the Association of Commuters and Consumers in Cebu, said the water rate increase is an additional burden to the poor.
“Losses can be avoid by fixing leakages,” said Mercado, adding that MCWD, being a utility firm, should not only concentrate on profit but service to the community.
Open books
Now that MCWD will increase the rates starting tomorrow, Mercado said the water firm should make its financial records transparent to the public.
The 12 percent increase, Andaya said, does not include the two percent tax proposal of the Philippine Association of Water Districts (Pawad) to the National Government, after the Bureau of Internal Revenue billed small water districts of millions of pesos in taxes.
Pawad made the proposal as compromise, instead of directly slapping water districts with taxes.
The proposal, however, needs legislation from Congress. (EOB)
(August 31, 2005 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
