Manila Water unit ties up with payment service centers

MANILA, Philippines - Laguna Water, a subsidiary of Ayala-led Manila Water Co. Inc., has partnered with several institutions to make the payment of bills more convenient for its customers. 

In a statement, the parent firm announced that Laguna Water customers may now settle their bills through Bayad Center, Bank of the Philippine Islands, Globe Telecom, SM Malls, LBC and Metro Bank.   

Aside from personal transaction, customers may settle their water bills through ATM, online banking and mobile phone banking. 

Prior to the establishment of Laguna Water in 2009, customers paid their bills in the collection offices of their previous  water service providers which were few. 

This discouraged timely payment, resulting to accumulation of unpaid bills. 

“The shift from the old bills payment scheme to the present system is thus a welcome development to Laguna Water customers. The company is continuously looking for additional service providers, and encouraging existing ones to develop systems that will provide more convenience and flexibility for customers,” Manila Water said. 

Laguna Water is a joint venture between the Provincial Government of Laguna (PGL) and AAAWaterCorporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Manila Water. Its service area comprises the cities of Biñan, Cabuyao and Santa Rosa.

Its billed volume in the first six months of the year rose by 41 percent to 4.8 million cubic meters (mcm) from 3.4 mcm last year.

Laguna Water is currently looking for new water sources as part of its program to expand its coverage in its concession area to 80 percent by 2016 and by 100 percent by 2020. 

In April, it signed a P1.33 billion omnibus loan and security agreement with the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) to enable it to achieve universal coverage in the cities of Binan and Sta. Rosa towns in Laguna. 

The company currently covers around 30 percent in its concession area, equivalent to 45,000 individual connections for a population 900,000.