BENITO TEEHANKEE
A year ago, I remember enjoying showers in the second floor of my house. This seems almost a distant memory now. This morning, as I struggled to wash my car of Taal Volcano’s ashfall, I couldn’t help wishing that the government and the water concessionaires can get their act together soon. I want to understand why the water situation in Metro Manila has become so bad and I’ve been talking to as many people, reading as much as I can about it, and watching Senate and congressional hearings over YouTube. It turns out that it’s a very complex matter indeed involving legal aspects of franchising and contracts, logistical and infrastructure development strategies, and fine points of finance and taxation.