The Davao City Water District (DCWD) is absorbing rising operating costs and has no plans to implement another water rate adjustment for now, seeking to spare consumers from additional financial pressure amid inflation.
DCWD spokesperson Jovana Cresta Duhaylungsod said the water utility has yet to consider another rate increase despite rising fuel prices and other market costs affecting its operations and services.
“We’re currently absorbing all of the increases in the market that affect our operations and services,” Duhaylungsod said.
She said the district is prioritizing consumer welfare by absorbing the additional expenses rather than passing them on to customers.
“We have not yet decided, or we were not really thinking of implementing any adjustment in our water rate because of the inflation,” she said.
The DCWD implemented a 12.5% water rate adjustment in February 2026. Despite the increase, Duhaylungsod said current rates remain affordable based on the affordability benchmarks used by the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA).
The district is also implementing its Libreng Tubig program to help ease household expenses. The initiative provides eligible residential customers with free water for three months, covering consumption in October, November and December 2026.
Under the program, residential customers consuming five cubic meters of water or less per month will not be charged for their consumption during the covered period.
Duhaylungsod said the program serves as a gesture of appreciation to customers who have supported the water district for more than 50 years, while helping ease the impact of current economic pressures.
The initiative also encourages households to conserve water by keeping their monthly consumption within the prescribed limit.
For now, the DCWD will continue absorbing increases in market costs and maintaining existing water rates, with no additional adjustment planned amid inflation.
