Category Archives: Business

Business, Government, International

Manila Water And Maynilad Bid To Be Water Concessionaires For Sydney, Australia

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MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – They may have offered to forfeit the P10 Billion due to them by the Philippine government as part of a Singapore Artibiration Court’s ruling, but  Manila Water and Maynilad are confident they will easily recover that amount, and more, in Australia.

The two firms, closely associated with the Ayala and Pangilinan oligarchy, have submitted a bid as new water concessionaires for Sydney which has been reported to be running out of water.

A joint spokesperson for the two companies said that despite the Philippine government’s plan to cancel their concessions as water distributors for Metro Manila, they are poised for bigger profits by taking their business to Australia.

The Singapore Arbitration Courts award to the firms stemmed from their claim of loss of revenue due to the Philippine govenment’s previous decision to block rate hikes on water consumers.

Business, Education, Government

Cynthia Villar Wants To Close Down Schools To Make Way For More Land Development

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MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – Senator Cynthia Villar wants “underperforming” schools disbanded by the Department of Education.

 “‘Yung mga maliliit [na schools] baka idisband natin yun,” Villar said in an ambush interview Thursday at a Stratbase forum in Taguig City.

We caught up with Villar during her recent inspection trips to one of VistaLand’s land and housing development projects (Villar owns VistaLand), and this is what she told us:

”Sayang naman yung mga lupa na kinatatayuan ng mga underperforming schools.  Let’s put the land to good use by converting them to housing developments.”

Villar, many will recall, was the author of the Rice Tarrification Bill which is now law.  It stripped the National Food  Authority of its rice procurement function by allowing for unli importation of the staple commodity by private entrepreneurs.  Many rice farmers have complained that they are losing their only means of livelihood because of the law.  It is rumored that some of them are considering just selling their farm land to VistaLand.

Sa ikauunlad ng bayan, Vista an kailangan.

Business, Government

Manila Water, Maynilad To Invest P10.8 M In Bottled Water Business

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MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) -What will Manila Water and Maynilad do with a total of P10.8 Billion awarded to them by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)? 

Invest in more water!

PCA has ordered the Philippine national government to pay the Ayala-owned Manila Water P7.4 Billion and Manny Pangilinan’s Maynilad P3.4 Billion for losses the two water concessionaires  incurred due to rejected water hikes back in 2015.

In a joint statement issued today, the two firms announced they will invest their award in bottled water.  “We always like to invest our money in more profitable ventures,” the statement said.

The bottled water — bearing the brand Manila Water and Maynilad — will be available to consumers starting this December, but only in Ayala Malls nationwide.

SM Malls have their own bottled water distributed under their Bonus brand.