DILIMAN, Quezon City — In not so welcome news, water consumers face the new year with an additional burden as Maynilad Water Services announced that it will be increasing its rates even as it's counterpart Manila Water Company in Metro Manila's east zone is set to reduce its rates starting June 1.

According to Maynilad, an adjustment of ₱7.32 per cubic meter in the tariff rate of their residential customers have been approved starting this month, bringing its all-in average water rate to ₱65.62 per cubic meter from ₱58.30 per cubic meter as of the last quarter of 2024.

On the other hand, Manila Water disclosed that its approved tariff, effective January 1, would be ₱61.04 per cubic meter, an increase of ₱5.95 from the rate of ₱55.08 per cubic meter as of the fourth quarter of 2024.
The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System-Regulatory Office (MWSS-RO) chief regulator Patrick Ty cited that the regulatory body took into consideration the actual capital spent by the water concessionaires for the period 2023 to 2024 in approving the water rate hikes.

In particular, Ty noted that Manila Water spent a cumulative ₱32.668 billion for its water and wastewater projects for the period, accounting for 81percent of its capital expenditure target. Meanwhile, Maynilad spent 83 percent of its capex target for 2023-2024 amounting to ₱47.591 billion.

“As long as they spend a reasonable [percentage] of their capex… we will allow them to raise tariffs,” Ty asserted.

Meanwhile, the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) and other electric cooperatives have yet to make an announcement regarding a power rate hike, but an increase in electricity bills is likely to happen soon after the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) allowed the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) to charge its contracted reserved power in 2024.

This means over ₱3 billion will be charged to the customers in the first three to six months of 2025.