MANILA WATER IN HISTORIC WIN AS FIRST PHILIPPINE COMPANY TO BE NAMED ‘WATER COMPANY OF THE YEAR’ AT THE 2022 GLOBAL WATER AWARDS
Manila Water made history by becoming the first water company from the Philippines and from any developing country, to be given the distinction as Water Company of the Year in the highly coveted 2022 Global Water Awards as part of the 2022 Global Water Summit held recently at the La Quinta De Jarama in Madrid, Spain.
The Global Water Awards, which was established by Global Water Intelligence in 2006, recognize the most important achievements in the international water industry within several categories, and reward those initiatives in the water, wastewater and desalination sectors that are moving the industry forward through improved operating performance, innovative technology adoption and sustainable financial models.
Manila Water bested three other shortlisted internationally renowned water companies for highest honor that included Aqualia, the third largest private water company in Europe and seventh in the world; Metito, the Middle East pioneer of desalination plants in Egypt; and leading French water company Saur with operations in 20 countries worldwide.
“We are truly humbled yet very proud and appreciative of this important recognition by industry peers from around the globe,” says Manila Water President and CEO Jocot de Dios. “This is a testament to the excellent service the company is providing not only in the East Zone of Metro Manila and key markets all over the Philippines but also in our international operations.”
De Dios adds that the award becomes more meaningful for Manila Water as the company will be celebrating its 25th year in the water and wastewater industry in August this year as a prime example of a successful public private partnership. De Dios also expressed his deep gratitude for the continuing support and collaboration with the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System and other national government partners in ensuring the reliable provision of basic services such as water and sanitation within its service areas.
Manila Water started its operations in 1997 as the concessionaire of the state-run Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) to improve the water, wastewater and sanitation services of eastern Metro Manila and the adjacent province of Rizal.
Since then, Manila Water has significantly addressed the water challenges in its concession by providing clean water and 24/7 access to 7.3 million customers within its central distribution system. This, to a large extent, was made possible through a combination of stakeholder and technical interventions which greatly reduced non-revenue water from 63% to an average of 13%, unprecedented in the country’s water sector, as well as the implementation of the company’s flagship program – Water for the Community – which was designed to allow marginalized communities to gain greater access to potable and affordable water.
The success of Manila Water in its Manila concession is now being replicated as it expands its reach locally in the country’s top metropolitan cities in Laguna, Boracay, Clark, Davao, among others. The same brand of service has been exported to the company’s international business operations in Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
De Dios adds that as Manila Water remained resilient and dedicated to its commitment to providing excellent service despite water security, climate change, political and regulatory challenges, as well as the continuing uncertainties brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, this award bolsters the company’s desire to conquer new frontiers and expand our sustainability footprint. “We continue to build on our culture as an industry pioneer in sustainability practices and deeply entrench Environment, Social and Governance or ESG in the conduct of our business strategies and operations. This fuels our pioneering spirit and desire to use our strengths towards our vision of better lives and resilient economies through critical infrastructure, whichever part of the world we may reach,” says de Dios.
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