Protection for water consumers 

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Councilor Harold Go has secured assurances from both the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) and the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) that consumers will be protected under LWUA’s latest guidelines on prolonged water supply interruptions.

Go is now pushing for refunds, likely in the form of bill credits, for households billed despite receiving no water service.

In a press conference yesterday, Go revealed that he had received numerous complaints from residents who were charged minimum fees despite experiencing weeks-long water outages, particularly after Typhoon Tino.

He recalled filing a resolution in January requesting MCWD to waive minimum charges during service failures.

MCWD replied in March that the minimum charge was fixed and part of its policy and, therefore, could not be waived.

“I was not satisfied with that answer because there is a higher law, you cannot charge for services not rendered. That is unfair. Their policy is not the law,” Go said.

Go revealed that during his meeting last week with LWUA Administrator Jose Moises P. Salonga, the latter disclosed that LWUA had already issued Memorandum Circular No. 009-25 in December 2025, entitled “Guidelines for Local Water Districts Regarding Water Supply Interruptions.”

The circular prohibits the disconnection of accounts for non-payment if water service has been interrupted for 15 days or more and bars the imposition of minimum charges under the same conditions.

It applies whether interruptions are continuous or intermittent, provided they total 15 days in one month or 15 consecutive days within two months.

The directive also requires water districts to monitor and record all interruptions, submit written reports and action plans to LWUA if service fails for three consecutive days, notify customers promptly of scheduled or unscheduled interruptions, and adjust billing and collection activities to account for interruptions.

Disputes must be resolved through grievance procedures, with priority given to restoring service and protecting consumer rights. The circular took immediate effect and warns of administrative sanctions for noncompliance.

Go said the LWUA directive directly covers the complaints raised by Cebuano consumers.

He met yesterday with MCWD Chairman Ruben Almendras and his team, who confirmed receipt of the circular, although only recently, and assured him that the district will comply.

“They will remove minimum charges in cases where no water supply was delivered for fifteen days or more,” Go said.

Almendras noted that most of these cases occurred during Typhoon Tino, when MCWD struggled to restore service for nearly a month. Go emphasized that the next step is to fight for refunds.

“We asked MCWD if these charges can be refunded. Most likely, they will be credited to consumers’ bills rather than refunded in cash,” he explained.

He clarified that affected consumers should not be charged the minimum fee of P235.60 and the P8 franchise tax if they endured interruptions of 15 days or more.

The Cebu City Council has since passed Go’s resolution urging MCWD to disseminate the LWUA circular widely through its website, social media platforms, billing statements, customer service offices, and public advisories so consumers are aware of their rights.

“Ang konsumante adunay katungod nga masayod sa iyang mga proteksyon, ilabina kung walay aktuwal nga suplay sa tubig. Dili lamang igo nga adunay polisiya, kinahanglan usab nga ang polisiya mahibaloan sa mga tawo nga protektado niini,” Go stressed.

He vowed to monitor compliance closely to safeguard the interests of Cebuano water consumers.

In a separate statement sent to THE FREEMAN, MCWD said: “We are currently studying this Memorandum Circular to ensure its proper and consistent implementation. Once finalized, we will inform the concerned offices and the public of the details”.

MCWD also assured its consumers of its commitment to them.

“Rest assured that MCWD remains committed to protecting the interests of our consumers and ensuring fair and reliable water service.” -  IHM (CEBU NEWS)