The Department of Justice said that the government has no choice but to take over the water distribution if ever that the government problem with Manila Water Co., Inc and Maynilad Water escalates.
According to Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, the government is willing to handle the distribution of water if the two water concessionaires decided to stop their service to the people.
“The government will have to take over if necessary,” said Guevarra.
However, they believe that there are still more options left for the two companies to fix their problems with the government.
“This is a problem that can be solved. I don’t have any reason to believe that we should be worried about the stoppage of water supply. Unless and until the government is ready to run the distribution business efficiently, I guess for now we still have to rely on private concessionaires for the distribution of water supply,” Guevarra said.
Meanwhile, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go criticized the two water concessionaires for putting the government in a disadvantage in their contract.
“Tayo pa ngayon ang magbabayad ng bilyon-bilyon mula sa kaban ng bayan dahil pinigilan sila magtaas ng singil ng serbisyo na napakababa ng kalidad. Buong bansa ang magbabayad, hindi lang ang kliyente ng mga concessionaires na ito,” Go said in his privilege speech in the Senate.
“It will bear the brunt of the greed and selfishness of these big concessionaires… The government and the people are now at the mercy of these big concessionaires. it is apparent that many of the provisions in the concessionaire agreement are unfair and unjust to the Filipino people,” he added.
Go said that he wanted to know the people behind the controversial contract to ask them why they let the two companies have the advantage in the agreement.
“Kaya ang tanong ko, sino ba ang mga abogado at opisyal na nakaupo nang pina-bid at ginawa ang mga kontrata na ito? Bakit pinalusot niyo?” he said.