​Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor

"With this project, urban poor communities in Taytay, Rizal will have individual water connections from Manila Water and can now escape the recurring burden of unjust, expensive water rates from various people’s organizations."

This was the statement of Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor chair Terry Ridon during the groundbreaking ceremonies of the joint PCUP-Manila Water Tubig Para Sa Barangay (Water for the Community) project benefiting more than three thousand marginalized residents in Lupang Arenda, Taytay, Rizal.

No more expensive water rates

Ridon said the project will reduce water rates from P50/cubic meter to about P13-P15/cubic meter, translating to almost four hundred pesos in monthly savings for other basic needs.

"These initiatives are among those which President Duterte promised when he made the commitment of a better, comfortable life for the Filipino family."

Ridon said projects like these are critical in Lupang Arenda, one of the largest informal settlements in the country with 19,000 families.

"Beneficiary families had applied for individual water connections as early as 2015 in response to unscrupulous rates being charged by local water service providers. Only in this administration had their request been heard."

Interagency support

Ridon said this would not have happened without the support of Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) General Manager Joey Medina who immediately supported this initiative.

"The leadership of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) also gave the ‘go-signal’ for Manila Water to proceed with the pipe-laying."

Genuine reforms

Ridon said this is the type of results-based, reform-minded leadership and collaboration of agencies that ensures the greatest benefit for the public.

"All agencies involved in this endeavor had one goal in mind: to provide the lowest rate to the poor in the soonest time. We are glad we were able to deliver this early."

Ridon, a former legislator, said he was pleasantly surprised at the speed and pace of how the project proceeded.

"This is a testament that reform-minded leaders working together to deliver real, measurable results to the community is the best combination to ensure that the promises of the Duterte presidency is truly felt by our people."

Test-case for national implementation

"This is a model that we would like to replicate in all urban poor communities beset with high utility rates being charged by different local cooperatives and water providers. Lupang Arenda has proven that together with government, we can decisively bring down the utility rates for the benefit of the poor."

Ridon said they are exploring applying the Taytay model in all government relocation sites, including water and power services.

"With the leadership of the NHA and other shelter agencies, we hope we can further bring down utility rates within our own resettlement areas."

Ridon said there is still so much work to be done to benefit the lives of urban poor families.

"Every reform, every benefit we can provide the poorest of our people, we will do for them.