To accommodate arrears payment and more time for regular transactions, PrimeWater Bacolod said it will extend main office hours during the holidays.
Lily Donasco, PrimeWater Bacolod branch manager, said that aside from the regular 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. business hours Mondays to Fridays, its main office is also open the whole day on Dec. 12, 19, 26, and 30.
On Dec. 24 and 31, they are open for half day, Donasco added.
PrimeWater took over the full management of the Bacolod City Water District in November. The district has more than 60,000 member-consumers.
Donasco said only 40 percent are considered regular payers or those who pay their water bills on or before the due dates.
She said most of the households have arrears since March when the management was still under Baciwa and did not implement disconnections under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act amid the coronavirus disease pandemic.
Donasco said she hopes the consumers will settle their arrears this month.
She added that starting January, PrimeWater will implement the disconnection policy in order to generate income to sustain the operations.
The new management absorbed 205 employees of Baciwa. Most of the senior employees and those occupying higher positions availed of the early retirement package offered by PrimeWater Infrastructure Incorporated.
The new management offered to pay 2.5 months per year of service to Baciwa employees during the transition period in October. – ML
