26/08/2026
Unlike power utilities, water concessionaires in Metro Manila do not pass on the burden of their system losses to its customers,
Manila Water Co. official spokesperson Jeric Sevilla cited. Operating its water enterprises at the east zone concessionaire in the Greater Metro Manila areas as well as its other in other provinces, Sevilla takes pride that all Manila Water customers do not carry the burden of the system losses they incur in the delivery of basic water supply services.
The Manila Water has the exclusive right to provide water and used water services in its franchise areas covering 23 cities and municipalities in Metro Manila and Rizal. Among these include the cities of Mandaluyong, Makati, Pasig, San Juan, Taguig, Marikina, and parts of Quezon City and Manila and the municipality of Pateros. Also they serve the towns of Angono, Baras, Binangonan, Cainta, Cardona, Jalajala, Morong, Pililia, Rodriguez, Tanay, Taytay, Teresa, San Mateo, and Antipolo in the province of Rizal.
Speaking as the Group Director for Corporate Communications Affairs of the Manila Water, Sevilla gave this public assurance as guaranteed no less by their chief regulator, the Manila Water is one of the two concessionaires of the
Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS). Aside from the Manila Water, MWSS also regulates the operations of its other concessionaire, Maynilad Water Services Inc. that serves the west zone concession areas in Metro Manila and suburbs.
In the case of power utilities, systems losses are being charged to electricity consumers over pilferages in the supply of power they deliver. The system losses come is like take-or-pay provision in the monthly bills whether the electricity is used or not.
In his penultimate state of the nation address last month, President Ferdinand “B**gbong” Marcos Jr. (PBBM) ordered concerned government agencies to find ways how to remove the systems loss charges.
In today’s Kapihan sa Manila Bay news forum, Sevilla clarified the two water concessionaires assume the systems losses to their cost of operations called as “non-water revenues,” or NWR. In the specific situation of the Manila Water, Sevilla disclosed they have been able to bring it down to as low as 13.5 percent to total operations as of June 2026.
“While its year-to-date, NRW stood at 14.22 percent. We continue to maintain our NRW below 15%,” Sevilla cited. “The World Bank's benchmark is at 20-25% NRW. So we are doing a lot better,” he enthused. And they intend to further lower this, he vowed.
Sevilla explained the reduction in NRW is a combination of both technical and engineering “interventions” of the Manila Water from mainline pipes and meter replacements to address physical losses. “Aggressive leak repair activities were also undertaken,” he said. For added measure, he credited the introduction of "Tubig Para sa Barangay" program of the Manila Water to address illegal connections which were prevalent in low income and informal settlements.
According to Ditti Galang, Manila Water Corporate Communications Department head, the NRW of Manila Water used to be at 63% when they first acquired the concession from MWSS back in 1997. “So it’s very important to keep the NWR very low so that there will be more water that can distributed to customers,” she pointed out.
For more details of our conversations with the Manila Water executives, please read my Commonsense column this Friday at The Philippine Star.
📷bong son/ravm
