Water bills are going up in Metro Manila as foreign exchange costs hit utilities

Floyd Brenz., Philippine Canadian Inquirer
September 11, 2026

Photo Courtesy: Mark Demayo

MANILA – Another household expense is set to rise as Metro Manila water consumers face higher bills starting October 1, with regulators approving adjustments for the capital’s two major water concessionaires.

The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System Regulatory Office approved the fourth quarter 2026 Foreign Currency Differential Adjustment for Manila Water and Maynilad, allowing the companies to recover losses linked to fluctuations in the peso against foreign currencies.

Customers in Manila Water’s East Zone will see an average increase of PHP0.08 per cubic meter. Its FCDA will rise to PHP0.46 per cubic meter from PHP0.39 in the previous quarter.

Maynilad customers in the West Zone will face a larger average increase of PHP0.24 per cubic meter. Its FCDA will move from negative PHP0.25 to negative PHP0.01 per cubic meter.

The adjustment is tied to foreign currency loans used by the water companies to finance major water and wastewater infrastructure projects. The quarterly mechanism is designed to prevent utilities from either under recovering or over recovering their foreign currency debt obligations when exchange rates change.

While the increases may appear small on a per cubic meter basis, they add another cost for households already managing higher prices for basic goods and services.

For the water concessionaires, however, the adjustment is meant to keep infrastructure financing on track without directly affecting projected net income, according to Manila Water.

As October approaches, Metro Manila consumers will have to make room for yet another adjustment in their monthly household budgets, this time coming not from higher water consumption, but from the changing value of the peso.