Manila Water COO resigns following water shortage

MANILA, Philippines — Manila Water’s chief operating officer (COO) Geodino Carpio has resigned from his post, opting for early retirement.

In a disclosure to the local bourse, the east zone concessionaire yesterday said it accepted Carpio’s resignation and that he would be replaced by Abelardo Basilio as acting COO for Manila Water.

Carpio, who served the firm for 22 years, has been most visible in the past two months due to the water shortage in the east zone.

His resignation and Basilio’s appointment took effect at the close of business hours yesterday.

Basilio is concurrently the director for strategic asset management and data protection officer.

Carpio served as president of the Manila Water Foundation as well as of the Manila Water Total Solutions.

He joined Manila Water in 1997 as chief information officer and became director for Project Delivery Group (PDG), which formulates strategy, planning and management of capital works for the company in 2004.

Since 2010, Carpio led the Operations Group, which ensures efficient and reliable operations of all treatment and primary conveyance facilities for water sources, drinking water and used water.

On the other hand, Basilio has been with the company for 22 years, serving as director of the Technical Services Group, East Zone Business Operations and officer-in-charge of Corporate Regulatory Affairs Group.

In 1984, Basilio joined the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage Systems, where he gained experience in water utility operations, which include hydraulic engineering, water treatment and distribution and network management.

He obtained a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of the Philippines under the university scholarship program.

He completed Management Development Program at the Asian Institute of Management, Water Network Design and Modeling in Manchester, United Kingdom and SCADA Telemetry Training in Singapore.

Meanwhile, west zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services Inc. reminded its consumers to store enough water for the Holy Week as supply will be interrupted due to the company’s enhancement activities.

These activities include facility maintenance works, pipe decommissioning, pipe interconnections and valve replacements in various points of its water network as well as some leak detection and repairs.

Maynilad usually conducts maintenance works during Holy Week, when fewer customers are expected to be home, thereby lessening the impact of service interruptions on consumers.

Maynilad said the maintenance works would cause five- to 30-hour water service interruptions in parts of Manila, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela, Quezon City, Parañaque, Pasay and Las Piñas as well as in Bacoor, Cavite.

For more details on the water interruptions, the public may visit www.mayniladwater.com.ph or call Maynilad hotline 1626.   – With Rhodina Villanueva