ANGELES CITY – Barangay Salapungan Chairman Robert Yeen yesterday urged the Angeles City Water District (ACWD) to defer the increase in water rates as the country has yet to fully recover from the economic meltdown last year.
Yeen said he had made the appeal to the ACWD following a series of consultations with his constituents. His village plays host to a university and several businesses.
“We can delay its implementation until we fully recover from the recent economic crisis. Let’s allow people and traders to recover first before we impose new burdens on them,” said Yeen, who is running for city councilor.
The ACWD has begun to impose the increase on the flat rate of P140 for the first 10 cubic meters to P170. For the 11 to 20 cubic meters consumption, the old rate is P15.25 per cubic meter to be increased to P18 per cubic meter.
ACWD General Manager Engr. Romy Calara, in a phone interview, said “the increase was necessary to sustain the efficient service of the water district.”
He stressed that the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) had approved the increase and the public was properly consulted.
“In fact, it was the LWUA which made a study and estimated the increase allowing the continuous operation of the water district,” said Calara.
Yeen assailed the ACWD for the 10 percent penalties imposed on late payments.
“It’s already raking in additional and surplus profits,’ he added.
Calara said the penalties on late payments had been imposed for the past several years.
“Anyway, only those who pay late will be penalized,” he said.
The ACWD manager disclosed that the new rate increase will be reflected on the water bill consumed for the month of January. ACWD supplies water to all but three of the 33 villages here.
Yeen said he had made the appeal to the ACWD following a series of consultations with his constituents. His village plays host to a university and several businesses.
“We can delay its implementation until we fully recover from the recent economic crisis. Let’s allow people and traders to recover first before we impose new burdens on them,” said Yeen, who is running for city councilor.
The ACWD has begun to impose the increase on the flat rate of P140 for the first 10 cubic meters to P170. For the 11 to 20 cubic meters consumption, the old rate is P15.25 per cubic meter to be increased to P18 per cubic meter.
ACWD General Manager Engr. Romy Calara, in a phone interview, said “the increase was necessary to sustain the efficient service of the water district.”
He stressed that the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) had approved the increase and the public was properly consulted.
“In fact, it was the LWUA which made a study and estimated the increase allowing the continuous operation of the water district,” said Calara.
Yeen assailed the ACWD for the 10 percent penalties imposed on late payments.
“It’s already raking in additional and surplus profits,’ he added.
Calara said the penalties on late payments had been imposed for the past several years.
“Anyway, only those who pay late will be penalized,” he said.
The ACWD manager disclosed that the new rate increase will be reflected on the water bill consumed for the month of January. ACWD supplies water to all but three of the 33 villages here.
