Duterte to MWSS, water concessionaires: Shape up or ship out

MANILA, Philippines — An "outraged" President Rodrigo Duterte warned water regulators and concessionaires to "shape up or ship out" as he berated them for their failure to prevent the water crisis that dogged parts of Metro Manila, the Palace said.

Officials of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System and concessionaires Manila Water and Maynilad got a dressing down from Duterte during their 40-minute meeting in Malacañang last Tuesday, presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said. 

While officials were expected to explain the crisis, which affected some businesses and resulted in long queues for water rations, Duterte refused to listen to them, believing they would only offer excuses. 

"The chief executive told them he was not going to listen to their explanation as to why there was a water shortage as such would be just plain excuses. They simply did not do their job. 'All they care about is get profit from the water of the people' and to their sufferance as well," Panelo said in a statement issued early Wednesday morning. 

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"The president told them they could have simply anticipated such shortage and could have done something about it. They had to wait for him to threaten them with personally rushing to Manila from Davao to grapple with the crisis before they moved to end it," he added. 

Water companies had been taking steps to address the shortage, which Manila Water partly attributed to people stocking up on water in response to the shortage. The increased demand burdened the already short supply, it said.

Maynilad, which operates in the West Zone concession area, did not have an issue with supplying water to its customers.

Panelo said Duterte had threatened to fire MWSS officials and to terminate the contracts of the water concessionaires "in a stern message delivered without even once looking at the officials."

"The chief executive bluntly told them to 'shape up or ship out,'" the presidential spokesman said. 

Panelo said Duterte was convinced that officials knew of the problem leading to the water crisis "but they did not resolve to prevent it from happening."

"The president expressed his evident displeasure by saying that he hoped that at the end of the day the water crisis was not just a matter of common sense," he said. 

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'More of a presidential monologue'

Panelo said the 40-minute meeting, which he described as "more of a presidential monologue," abruptly ended with the president ordering the officials to submit a report on the water shortage before April 7. Duterte would then decide whether heads would roll or whether the contracts of the concessionaires would be terminated.

"The president reiterated that he is constitutionally tasked to serve and protect the citizenry, and he will not equivocate to take swift and drastic actions to secure the people from discomfort and shield them from suffering, regardless of the dire consequences to the players of the water industry," Panelo said. 

East Zone concessionaire Manila Water has apologized for the service interruptions in Metro Manila and Rizal province and has vowed to provide immediate relief to affected areas. - Alexis Romero