August 10, 2019 The top official of Manila Water Co. has resigned from his position, the Ayala-led water concessionaire announced on Frida...
The top official of Manila Water Co. has resigned from his position, the Ayala-led water concessionaire announced on Friday.
In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, Manila Water said Ferdinand dela Cruz tendered his resignation as director, president, chief executive officer, and chief sustainability officer of the company as well as a member of its executive committee effective August 31, 2019.
Dela Cruz confirmed with GMA News Online his resignation, saying will take time out since the company’s services are relatively stable at this point.
“Confirming that I have resigned as CEO of Manila Water effective Aug. 31 and have opted to retire from Ayala Corporation now that our services are relatively stable, a new water resources roadmap is in place and a demand management plan has been initiated,” Dela Cruz said.
“Will take a break first before charting my next journey. Thank you for your prayers and support all this time,” he added.
According to Manila Water, Dela Cruz cited “personal” reasons for quitting the company.
Manila Water said its board of directors accepted Dela Cruz’s resignation and elected Jose Rene Gregory Almendras to take over, effective September 1, 2019.
“Almendras, prior to joining the government in June 2010, served as the company’s president and chief operating officer since March 30, 2009,” the company said.
“It was during his time when the company achieved 100% customer satisfaction rating. He was instrumental in the expansion and growth of the company beyond the East Zone,” it said.
A series of water interruptions affected at least 1.2 million households in Metro Manila as well as Rizal province due to El Niño weather phenomenon.
The east zone concessionaire implemented water interruptions to ensure that water supply can last until June or the rainy season.
To augment its water supply, Manila Water said it was maximizing the Cardona Treatment Plant’s capacity to 100 million liters per day (MLD), plus another 100 MLD from deepwells by year’s end, and another 50 MLD in 2020—also from deepwells.
To address Angat situation, Manila Water is trying to reduce system loss to 7.5%—equivalent to about 70-74 MLD that could otherwise be available to its customers.
It reduced water pressure as part of a demand management through responsible use of water on the part of customers in conjunction with the regulatory standard of 24/7 water service at 7 pounds per square inch of pressure, at least at the ground floor level, to 98% of its customers.
Manila Water holds the concession rights to the east zone of Metro Manila and Rizal province, “the sole provider of water and wastewater services to more than 6 million people in the East Zone of Metro Manila.”
The concession covers Mandaluyong, Makati, Pasig, Pateros, San Juan, Taguig, Marikina, and parts of Quezon City and Manila. The towns of Angono, Baras, Binangonan, Cainta, Cardona, Jalajala, Morong, Pililia, Rodriguez, Tanay, Taytay, Teresa, San Mateo and Antipolo in the province of Rizal are also part of the East Zone concession. —VDS, GMA News
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