Water service disconnection activities听banned only听under Alert Level 5 or granular lockdown听听听
METRO MANILA鈥檚 water concessionaires can carry out disconnection activities unless a locality is placed under Alert Level 5, the strictest under the government鈥檚 new quarantine system, or an area is placed on granular lockdown, according to the regulator.听听听
Patrick Lester N. Ty, chief regulator of the听Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) Regulatory Office, said they have given the directive听to Manila Water Co., Inc. and Maynilad Water Services, Inc.听听
鈥淭his is in light of the implementation of Alert Levels system and granular lockdowns in certain areas of the National Capital Region (NCR) beginning Sept. 16,鈥澨齅r. Ty said in a statement on Thursday.听听
The new alert level system took effect听on Sept. 16听with the pilot run in the capital region, which has been placed under Alert Level 4.听听
Meanwhile, Mr. Ty urged customers of Manila Water and Maynilad in areas not under Alert Level 5 or granular lockdown to pay their bills to ensure continuous water service.听听听听
鈥淎s the MWSS Regulatory Office has previously directed the concessionaires to provide economic relief and consideration for customers in this difficult time of the pandemic, customers who are not able to settle their water bills may contact their service provider for flexible payment terms,鈥澨齢e听said.听听听听
Metro Pacific Investments Corp., which has a majority stake in Maynilad, is one of three Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT, Inc.听听
Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary听MediaQuest听Holdings, Inc., has an interest in听大象传媒听through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls.听鈥斕齊evin听Mikhael听D.听Ochave听听听
