MAYNILAD Water Services, Inc. has been extending free desludging services to 56 quarantine centers, hospitals, government checkpoints, and other coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) facilities since March last year.
The west zone water concessionaire said the COVID-19 facilities that benefited include Sta. Ana Hospital, Tondo Hospital, Quezon Institute, and Cavite City Hospital, as well as several government checkpoints and major quarantine facilities in Parañaque, Manila, Pasay, Quezon City, and Cavite province.
“The company has been regularly cleaning the septic tanks and portable toilets of these facilities for free, to help maintain good sanitary condition — through proper wastewater management — for the medical personnel and patients who use these COVID-19 centers,” Maynilad said in a statement.
Aside from the free desludging service, Maynilad said it distributed food donations, hygiene materials, and drink-wash stations for several government centers.
“In 2020, Maynilad also donated tents and other supplies to the quarantine facility in the University of the Philippines-Diliman and built a P15-million COVID-19 testing and laboratory center inside the Delos Santos Medical Center compound in Quezon City to help boost the country’s testing capacity,” it said.
Maynilad provides water to Caloocan, Pasay, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Valenzuela, Navotas, Malabon, Manila, Makati, and Quezon City, as well as parts of Cavite province including Bacoor, Imus, Kawit, Noveleta, and Rosario.
Metro Pacific Investments Corp., which has a majority stake in Maynilad, is one of three Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT, Inc.
Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has an interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave