AN OFFICIAL from the Davao City Water District (DCWD) said that they are offering an Easy Installment Option payment for those who want to apply for a water connection from March 5 to 31, 2024.
JC Duhaylungsod, the spokesperson of DCWD, announced during the AFP-PNP press conference, on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, at the Royal Mandaya Hotel, that they are offering an Easy Installment Option to all interested applicants for water connection, particularly those from District 2, as they have already lifted the suspension of new applications.
She said the option is only applicable if the applicant's account is classified upon evaluation that they are residential, the size of their water meter is one-half inch size, and they already signed the contract. She revealed that those who just submitted their application and have not signed the service connection contract cannot avail of this option.
Duhaylungsod added that instead of the P6,000 one-time payment for the connection, they will require an outright P500 payment while the remaining P5,500 can be paid on a staggered basis, which will be reflected in their water bill for 11 months without interest.
The DCWD easy option is a complement to the lifting of the suspension of new service connections in several areas in District 2.
Duhaylungsod said that based on their observation numerous citizens have a hard time applying for water connections because of financial strains and difficulty in processing their applications, despite the lifting of the suspension.
“Mao to nag-offer ta aning installment option para bisan P500 lang ilang kwarta so long as plastar na ang mga requirements… makakonekta na sila sa Water District (That is why we offered the installment option so that even if they only have P500 so long as their requirements are all ready…they can have water connection from DCWD),” she said.
The DCWD has a yearly applicant of 7,000 but with the bulk water distribution and proactive acceptance of new service connections, they are expecting the number of applications to increase and their target is to reach 15,000 service connections by 2024.
For those interested in the easy installment option, they can visit the offices of DCWD in Matina, Bajada, and Toril for a face-to-face application, and bring their valid ID of the account holder and proof of possession of the property. Applicants can also apply online which is accessible on the DCWD’s website, for less hassle.
As of February 2024, there are around 246,000 service connections in DCWD. Of that number, more or less 80 percent are residential, about 20 percent are commercial, and two percent are government establishments. RGP