Metro Pacific and DMCI-led Maynilad Water Services, Inc. (Maynilad) recently connected its one millionth water service account, effectively raising its total number of service connections by 48% since it changed owners in 2007. Prior to the re-privatization of Maynilad, the company only had 677,985 water service connections across its concession area.
The significant increase was attributed to Maynilad’s massive capital expenditure program that included the simultaneous implementation of its pipe rehabilitation and extension projects, refurbishment and construction of water reservoirs and pumping stations, development of a new water source, aggressive leak detection and repair operations, among others.
Maynilad’s one millionth water service account is registered to Sweet Latoc, a 32-year-old Noveleta, Cavite resident and single mother of three. Before connecting to Maynilad, Latoc would wake up early every day to fetch water from the barangay shallow well.
To celebrate this milestone, Maynilad will not be billing Latoc for her average water consumption for one year. The water company has also pledged to shoulder the school-related fees of her three children for one whole year, and hire contractors to fix the house that her family shares with four other people. “Hindi ko po talaga ine-expect,” Latoc said. “Ang laki ng pasasalamat ko sa Maynilad. Malaking tulong po ito sa aking pamilya.”
“Latoc’s case best captures the motivations and accomplishments of our company. Because of our commitment and investments, we are able to provide a marginalized family in Cavite with safe, reliable water, all the way from Angat dam in Norzagaray, Bulacan,” Maynilad President and CEO Victorico P. Vargas said. “We’re hoping that our modest assistance will also allow her to set new milestones for herself and her family.”
Maynilad is the largest private water concessionaire in the Philippines in terms of customer base. It is a concessionaire of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) for the West Zone of the Greater Manila Area, which is composed of the cities of Manila (all but portions of San Andres & Sta Ana), Quezon City (west of San Juan River, West Avenue, EDSA, Congressional, Mindanao Avenue, the northern part starting from the Districts of the Holy Spirit & Batasan Hills), Makati (west of South Super Highway), Caloocan, Pasay, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Valenzuela, Navotas and Malabon all in Metro Manila; Cavite City, and the towns of Bacoor, Imus, Kawit, Noveleta and Rosario, all in Cavite Province.
