Metro Manila, Philippines – Customers of Manila Water and Maynilad will be charged more beginning January 2026, the regulator announced Monday, Dec. 15.
This will be the fourth tranche of the rate rebasing adjustments, or simply the staggered water rate hikes, which began in 2023.
“Sa Manila Water, nagkaroon ng increase ng [there’s also an increase in the] environmental charge. They were able to increase their sewer coverage from 25 percent to 30 percent,” Patrick Ty, chief regulator of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) Regulatory Office (RO), said in a televised government briefing.
In the first quarter next year, the east zone concessionaire’s monthly bill will increase by P29.86 for those with 10 cubic meters (m3) or less consumption; P66.25 for 20 m3; and P135.22 for 30 m3.
Under the enhanced lifeline program – or the discounted water rates for low-income households consuming 10 m3 or less monthly including those below the poverty level – Manila Water’s bill will have a hike of P4.24 for those with 10 m3 or less consumption and P12.90 for 20 m3.
Meanwhile, west zone concessionaire Maynilad’s monthly water bills will go up by P5.06 for those with 10 m3 or less consumption; P19.06 for 20 m3; and P39.04 for 30 m3.
For the low-income lifeline rates, an impact of P1.02 for those with 10 m3 or less consumption and P2.55 for 20 m3 will reflect in the monthly bill.
Ty assured consumers that the MWSS RO is monitoring the two companies’ capital expense spending, especially when the water rate hikes take effect.
“We are here to ensure that the two concessionaires are doing these projects efficiently, hindi substandard ang proyekto, at walang ghost project [the projects are not substandard and there are no ghost projects],” he said.
Manila Water serves around 7.8 million customers in Metro Manila’s east zone and localities in Rizal. Maynilad has around 10.5 million customers in Metro Manila’s west zone and areas in Cavite.
