MANILA – The Manila Water Company’s (Manila Water) social flagship program, Tubig Para sa Barangay (TPSB), continues to provide service improvements to 1.8 million Filipinos in marginalized communities in the East Zone of Metro Manila.
“By connecting them to our waterlines, these households are assured of clean and potable water which contribute to better community health. Illegal water connections are prone to breakages which lead to contamination and cause gastrointestinal diseases to the residents,” Manila Water corporate communications affairs group director Jeric Sevilla said in statement on Friday.
“TPSB also lessens the company’s system losses or non-revenue water by connecting these households properly and legally,” he said.
The TPSB, which aims to provide sustainable water to low-income households, racked up a total of 899 projects since its launch in 1998.
In 2022, the program completed 29 projects with 826 new water connections which are now providing clean and potable water to 1,222 households.
In 2007, the water firm received a grant from the World Bank under the Global Partnership on Output-Based Aid securing a US$2.8 million (PHP120 million) aid.
This translated to 20,000 new water service connections for marginalized communities.
When the grant was exhausted and the goal was met, the water firm continued the service expansion of TPSB which makes clean water more affordable.
Through the program, 65 percent of the connection service fee is shouldered by the water firm while the remaining 35 percent is added to their bills for the next 12 months.
These "lifeline customers" with monthly consumption of 10 cubic meters or less continue to enjoy subsidized water bills at around PHP86 per month. (With reports from Perfecto Raymundo Jr., PNA)
