Water rates to go down this summer; gas prices cut

MANILA, Philippines - Water rates in Metro Manila will be reduced beginning April 1 due to the foreign currency differential adjustment (FCDA).

The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) said consumers can expect reduced rates in their water bills starting April after the board signed a resolution last Thursday implementing the rate reduction. 

The FCDA is a tariff mechanism determined by foreign exchange rate movements in loan payments of the two metro concessionaires for the current year, and expressed as a percentage of the basic charge. 

The MWSS Regulatory Office reviews the FCDA quarterly and the adjustment is applied to the basic tariff for every month of the charging quarter. 

Metro Manila has two water concessionaires – Manila Water Co., Inc. for the east zone and Maynilad Water Services, Inc. for the west zone. 

On average, customers in the east zone will enjoy savings of P0.44 per cubic meter from the basic charge of P28.29 for every cubic meter of water consumed. 

The east zone covers parts of Quezon City and Makati, the southeastern parts of Manila, Taguig, Pateros, Marikina, Pasig, San Juan, Mandaluyong, and Rizal province.

West zone consumers, on the other hand, will have savings of P0.16 per cubic meter from the basic charge of P33.97 for every cubic meter of water consumed. 

The west zone includes parts of Manila and Quezon City, west of South Super Highway in Makati, Caloocan, Pasay, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Valenzuela, Navotas, and Malabon as well as the municipalities of Bacoor, Imus, Kawit, Noveleta and Rosario in Cavite province.

With these tariff adjustments, the total monthly bill for Manila Water consumers using an average of 30 cubic meters per month will decrease by P9.89 for residential and P12.13 for semi-business, MWSS acting chief regulator Emmanuel Caparas said.

Commercial establishments consuming an average of 155 cubic meters per month will be able to save P154.14, while industrial establishments will save P167.53 for the same amount of water consumption.

Maynilad customers who consume an average of 26 cubic meters per month will have savings of P3.04 for residential and P4.18 for semi-business connections.   Commercial and industrial establishments with an average water consumption of 251 cubic meters will have savings of P96.64 and P105.06, respectively, for the same volume of consumption. 

Oil rice rollback

Consumers are also expected to enjoy further reduction of fuel prices as oil companies implemented another round of price cuts.

Big Three oil companies Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., Petron Corp. and Caltex Philippines, and independent oil player Seaoil Philippines, announced their respective price adjustments effective midnight yesterday.

Seaoil was the first to issue an advisory of price cuts.

Seaoil announced a price cut in its premium and unleaded gasoline products as well as kerosene by P0.45 per liter. It also announced a price reduction in diesel of P0.40 per liter.

“This is to reflect price movements in the international petroleum market,” Seaoil said.

Shell followed with a similar adjustment of P0.45 per liter for unleaded gasoline, premium and kerosene products. It also cut prices of its diesel fuel by P0.45 per liter.

Petron and Caltex also issued similar advisories.

Oil companies implemented four consecutive price hikes the previous month before reducing local pump prices as a result of upward movements in the global crude market.

Energy officials said it was difficult to say how long the downward trend would continue. – Iris Gonzales