pum €: FEATURES: Arangkada Project in focus COLUMN: Collecting wastewater through catchments Innovate FEATURES: NEWS:ead Cem tRe no) Seed ae ame Managing Editor Poche eee Nein ela a Seas Ce oC eee) Sno oe ee ae force Sea TALL ea Per ace Mera mca eater Cee aL CEs cone Wire CD ere ates FEATURES Cee Cea See UC Rena DCC aera es ue at) eer ema aaa ee et TM ecu ad Pag Tg aa bora ena zol NEWS 50,000 frees te be planted at ipo watershed by 2012 tone GA highlights financial targets: new VMV Maynilad transformation wins int'l award Health and W held lIness Day South district customers climb 111 Doe Rie Says Wastewater Expressed Stars of Maynilad Tubee & Co. ‘Men and Women of MayniladEmbracing innovation By Mikey Areaina Inthe past, companies remained ofloat even with tle innovation. They simply provided quality products and modified, them from time to fime to maintain their ‘competitiveness. Simple operations—including those in Finance and Human Resources—also did not requite sophisticated technology to accomplish the job. Today, innovation cannot be abandoned as times have changed due to globalization and the emer- gence of new practices in Information Technology ‘and business processing. Companies have fo keep up so their operations can become more effective and efficient, Customer expectations also drive innovation. There is chways a new customer demand waiting for the fastest and well-cifferentiated_ products. or solutions from companies. They want companies to respond to their needs at their convenience (i.e., product selec tion, product availability, payment arrangements, and customer feedback). Ceasing to innovate means ceasing to grow with the customers. Competition also compels companies to innovat Either you innovate and compete, or you get lett behind. What puts certain businesses on the cutting ‘edge in their industry is their ability to create and deliver new value to the market ahead of the competitors. FEATURES That is why it is important that the employees who drive the business become innovators. Even in Moynilad, the same thing applies. The way it ‘operates as a business has changed over time. Tech- nology is acquired and advanced to provide efficient ond effective revenue- and non-revenue water man- ‘agement, Software development is implemented to improve communication, supply chain, and tuma- round time. Quality certifications are maintained to ensure worid~ class standards. New practices are adopted to realize business process improvements. Policy provisions are created to accommodate innovative practices. Finance, HR, and the managers continue to promote innovation. We hire employees that are innovative, and provide sufficient training and development programs to influence them to innovate. Managers join other employees in think groups to develop and commercialize new ideas, Management and Finance review and provide fime and the financial resources to innovate. In one of his adresses, Maynilad President and CEO Ricky Vargas encouraged employees to brainstorm ideas and escalate them to their immediate superior. "Any idea is welcome: one never knows if the idea would do something great for the company." Management recognizes and rewards innovation. Today, we develop new businesses through innova- fion, and we share best practices and train water professionals through the Maynilad Water Academy. Mayrilad is an organization that cultivates creativity nd innovation. It will continue to make breakthroughs Gnd innovate, and go beyond what is basic. ple naga 12Towards an improved IT system By Jun Bernabe Helping the business grow by enhancing efficiency and timely reporting is what the Information Technology Services (ITS) promises as it moves to optimize the busi- ness technology of Maynilad. “Actually. ang nakikita ko na role namin is more on promoting the technology, promoting the new process and best practices internally,” says Information System head Noel Diloy. Years ago, Mayrilad acquired SAP Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Microsoft Customer Relationship Management (CRM)—systems that could be consid: ered as the best currently available in the market. How- ever, some functionalities available in these systems could be moximized or used for more efficiencies in Mayrillad's processes. At the same time, Maynilad's processes had already evolved. There are best practices that Maynilad could adopt and implement as new processes in the system. This is where the IIS Division comes in—to provide the system improvements required for more efficient processes, and fo make sure that Mayrilad employees use its functionality to the fullest. What has been done It's a long road toward the full upgrade and accept- ance of new systems, But before that could even be achieved, [TS had to make enhancements to Maynilad’s systems and current technical architecture. There was, for one, the company email. There used to be instances when emails were not being received by the intended recipients. To resolve this, the cloud services of PLDT—which function like Google or Yahoo Mail—were employed to provide further reliability, eventually making this problem a thing of the past. Another improvement can be seen in the Microsoft Customer Relationship Management System, which now runs for 24 hours. Threats of seeing it shutting down © ronushinsens every two hours have been eliminated since the system was reconfigured. Meanwhile, moves are now being done that would optimize SAP to adopt best practices and introduce new processes. IIS, together with Fujitsu Enterprise Services, conducted a three-month business process review to determine how Maynilad should move forward and how its system processes should be in the next five fo ten yeors. The said review led to the launch- ing of the Arangkada Project (see related story on page 5) What's next Given all these developments, ITS is aware that there are still many things left to be done. One of their projects is to build a unified wifi network so that a solid internet connection is standard anywhere in Mayrilad. Nextis to install a caltback capability feature in the Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) for enhanced customer satisfaction with proper handling of complaints. Changing the Geographic Information System (GIS) is also in the works to better capture the topography and pipe network status in the West concession area. When asked about the target implementation date of their future technological plans. Diloy says. “hindi pwe- deng biglaan.” Employees will need time to adjust to these changes, so ITS is working on the right pacing and attaining “small wins" to ensure the effectiveness of their initiatives. Creating an integrated system is a.challenge, but ITS is confident that this can be resolved with the right train- ing and information management. As ITS continues to advance, so does the objective of Maynilad to provide an environment for employee excellence.Arangkada Project in focus....... Maynilad President and CEO Ricky Vargas explains the benefits of improved ITS systems during the In his message to all employees last August 9, 2012 on the recently launched Arangkada Project. Maynilad President Victorico Vargas intimated that “there is always a better way of doing things” This was to drive the point that in order for the company to move with the times and the evolving requirements of the business, it is imperative for Maynilad to improve its infor- mation technology (IT) systems and its business, processes. Speatheading the Arangkada Project is the Information Technology Services Division, which is headed by Francisco Castillo. According to Castillo, Maynilad currently has two major IT systems in place. These ore SAP and CSIS (Customer Services Information System). The former is mainly used as a trans- actional system for functions related to finance, materials management, human resources, plant maintenance, project systems and. biling procedures. The latter, Meanwhile, is used for logging customer inquiries and complaints. However, these two systems have not kept up with the aggressive growth being pursued by the company. The current systems in place uilize only the most basic functionalities and are not fully optimized. Corporate Logistics head fic Dumancas shows his support af Arangkada by signing on the ‘commitment board, ‘Arangkade Project kic The Arangkada Project hopes to change all this by way of not only improving Maynilad’s IT systems but alo rationalizing business processes across functional units and depart ments. The project has two components: The fi component is called SAP Arangkada, and the second is called Workflow Management System (WMS). The first caters to the internal processes of Mayrilod and is meant to improve work-flow productivity, reduce turna- round time, and minimize cost of operation, The second component replaces the old, and caters more to those customerrelated processes. It is intended to facilitate faster response time to customer concerns. Employees of Maynilad are also expected to benefit greatly from the Arangkada Project, Employees will get to enjoy more simplified transactions, have greater access and con- trol over information, and be exposed to more modem and world-class business systems, According to Levi Diesiro, Head of Human Resources Division, the Arangkada Project demonstrates management's commitment to continually provide employees with the environment, tools, and resources needed to perform better and to work more produc- tively and efficiently. The rollout of the Arangkada Project will come. in three phases and is expected to be com- pleted by 2013, Maynilad has been at the forefront of innova tion in the water business. The Arangkada Project intends to spur even more innovation and drive Maynilad toward becoming a Premier, world-class company. © “Ppt mos so%2Innovating Moynilod By Yang Wille Innovation—something diferent that has impact—is widely misconstrued as a ponderous, meticulous, and offen serencipy fous event, Howover, innovation guru Scot} D. Antheny tells us thal innovation can be.a conscious, systematic, and even predictable undertaking. The workplace can be deliberately configured to become enviranments conducive for innovation. Employees can be encouraged {0 introduce ideas that are simple: creative, and impactiul in a postive Woy. We set out to determine the LQ. ‘innovation quotisn|") of Maynilad employees, With light bulls shining brightly above their heads, our colleaaves share their thoughts on innovation. “Innovation for Maynilad is shifting from being a basic service provider toa one-stop-shop water ‘xvould like to see Maynilad implement solutions company that provides services such as an e-learning program to build the technical capacity of its employees. there are plenty of capable partner institutions not only in the Philippines (e.g, UP Open University) but also abrond (e.g, Singapore's Institute of Water Policy). ‘This will broaden the horizon o available to Maynilad employees. Going online may also be a more cost-effective way of training our staff" — Marilyn F. Ruiz, HR Officer, Business Pariner — Cluster 4, HR Operations Human Resources Division ‘bulk water supply, NRW management, wastewa- ter solutions, operation and maintenance, and even retail services, We can do this by continu ously searching for and applying new methodolo- ies, technologies and systems that will yield significant value for our customers” — eas that are yando T. Lampe, Senior Technical Assistant, Office of the President “Business Development always strives to feel the market’ and custom-fit solutions. We draw inspiration from both local and international experiences to see how innovations such as rain catchment, water recycling, and desalination can “In Central B, we launched ‘iink Mayrilad where everybody objective volume; we now also discuss ways by which we can improve company image as Maynilad's frontliners. We can, for instance, participate in clean-up activities to avert diseases. This way, our customers can see our commitment to the health and well-being of the community” encouraged to share their ideas. Our now beyond increasing billed be the appropriate answer under varying circum: stances, with due consideration on the quality and affordability of the water we produce Different customers requite different solutions, and that means never closing your door to as ‘many ideas as possible” Rosalyn S. Rosales, ‘Senior Manager, jevelopment Deparment Eugenia C, Buenavente, Commercial Management Head, South Manila/Pasay Business Area ® ple noszmeChanging our IT landscape By Francisco Castila, Ph.D., PMP. When | fist joined Mayrilad, | sow immediately that there was a lot of room for improvement where Information Technology (IT) was concerned—from the way our network was set up, to the way IT concerns were handled, to the way SAP was used for our business. The situation back then was such that, during my first few months here. | was practically scared to walk down the cont dors. Every fime someone saw me, I'd get pulled in to solve concerns like, "My printer won't work.” This made me wonder: What is wrong with the network and setup? How many other people have the same problem? Why are these concerns not being tracked and monitored? Itoccured to me that, more than the state of our ITinfrastruc- ture, the problem was procedural. One of the ills we had. before was that IT issues were not documented. A lot of people had difficulty accessing the network, for example, but no one recorded their complaints; IT personnel just solved the complaints as they came. So they were forever fighting fires. Had the nature of the complaints that poured in been docu- mented, a trend would have been seen and consequently, enabled IT to get to the bottom of the problem, Now. | want everything done in a systematic way. In order to standardize and improve our operations, we document everythina—even procedural matters. It's hard in the begin- ning because you have to break an old habit, but it becomes easy later on because you already have a written procedure and a process of doing thin Right now we're upgracing all our servers, the storage, and the network. But again that's useless unless you have the right People fo see it through. For IT to wark, you have to focus on developing people, so we're doing that now. We're fortu- nate that Management hos been very supportive of the need to invest on these improvements To do things more efficiently, we need fo maximize the use of I tools. That is Management's direction so, more and more, ‘we will be involved in every aspect of our business opera- tions. Castillo during a meeting with 's personnel On IT enhancements jimproved email>"we now have web- mail access, which allows employees to check emails outside the office. It may also be synced with mobile devices." ZIMS/HEIBAESKS “the whole organization has a single point of contact for any MS request.” 3. Customer Services Information System (CSIS) > “Before, every three hours you had to reset the server and Customer Service could not access it. Now it’s up and running all the time.” 4. Antivirus and Microsoft updates "There's a central update for all PCs.” S.SAP Improvements 3° We're implement- ing continuous improvements on our SAP system. Change requests are now following a standard procedure for analyzing business requirements (initiated through arequest from Helpdesk).” & Infrastructure upgrade >This includes the database, operating system, servers and storage." 7. Virtualized all servers >*Ditferent appii- cations share the same physical resources, resulting in more flexibility and reliability because it's easy to switch servers if there’s a foilure.”" 8 Field data monitoring System or Field Mouse "We can now monitor all field data of our network using a central database and eppiication 9. Geographic Information System (GIS) > “We gave the Business Areas access to all the maps and data so they can check pipe connections in their respective areas.” j0)Asset/Code Generator > “tis alows for automatic grading of asset conditions (pipes. valves, etc.) for regulatory reporting.” © ies rugsFEATURES Team spirit reigns im Cinihawa Games .......FEATURES Maynilad then and now’ By Jennifer tuto! - ¢ Pe, Freee te gee n Cee ee aR uae Albert Einstein said, “If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got.” * Rea ee etn Ce ne eet eg ee a aed er) Cee ee eer et eg este nas This, fortunately, is not the case in Maynilad. Our company acknowledges that progress can only come with ‘change, so we constantly push for innovation, This is clear from the many improvements that have already been Sratigensns stn ou wrtltan mil vies ak ove th guacs arcadia eb renel pips wacom, ast pa ea ot aly Diggings Pine bursting Just 160K at the following innovations in Maynilad and you'll sce how far we've come: an SL We know the inconvenience 10 traffic caused by ovr pipelaying actives, While we cannot completely do away with the conventional way of replacing pipes, we are now using anether scheme that does nol require extensive road diggings. Reactive leak Leak detection repair technologies aerial The scheme, called pipe bursting, works by breaking an existing pipe ‘and pushing the broken pipe shards info the surrounding soil while simultaneously pulling in a new line, This reduces trattic disruption, reduces project cost, and prevents damage fo other uillty ines since the pipe follows an existing path, There was a time when it wos virtually Impossible fo find leaks in the pipe system unless the water was already gushing out on the streets. This is regrettable since many leaks are not visible aboveground. ical solution of total pipe replacement, pluaging leaks is essential for Non-Revenue Water (NRW) reduction, Hence, ‘Maynilad’s Cenirol NRW divsion sought the latest Jeak detection technologies applicable for use in the West Zone. However, its use is Imited fo areas that meet requirements on pipe depth (ihe line can't be too shallow or foo deep). pipe alignment or location (some pipelines cross private property), and project scale {the bigger the project, the more equipment this scheme requires). Mayni lad has done pipe busting in some areas in Quezon City, Las Pihas, Paranaque and Cavite. Maynilad is now using several cutting-edge technologies in the war ‘against water less, such as the Sahara® Leak Detection System of ‘Canada, Aquascan™ of Australia, and JD7 LDS2010 Investigator of the United Kingdom, among others. With these, we can locate even Onli the smallest Jeaks hidden under thick concrete pavements. a eee) eer eet tie nea) ea Prom uaa nar ieiea torrie tau ot eae on leave balances, daily time record, loa rea) cerry Manual reading eee eee teem eetan sn een pee ae eaten eet eg tea Oe eee ead Mt Pc eo 2 i ered ai thelr desks, nor ca Saag cucu Sens Reiners ee ae nee Ne ee eee a households and establishments within District Metered Areas, This works through the ins Serer! ecg eect et valves ne [20 System, an advanced Pressure-Reguiating Valve (PRY) controller that works with a Short Messaging Sysiem {SMS]/General Packet Radio Service (GPRS}-capable logger. inthe past, engineers would check 725 sheels of hand-drawn MWSS baseline maps fo determine specifications of pipelines. But we have long since gone nF — ‘An 120 sensor picks up presse reading from a citical point (locationsin the pipeline wih the lowest pressure) and relays it paperless wih the migration of tale\to a computer database, remotely fo & server wtich injury sends G command to an electronic eonitoler that Gduts the pressure settings Ths syste > renders human intervention unnecessary. Even better, water pressure and flow data can easily be essed via the internet. Meyriad is jocstofog fe hall darHlopment et is Geouoptas information system {GIs} which, according fs) GIS head Zmel Grabilo, a computer a Separate system desgned fo effckeniy euptie, sere, update, manipulate, analize, Sewer System > ex acey edcire ores sane oy eter ecient t '\ good Gis system with accurate ond up-to-date network cats on essential foundation to support efficient NRW reduc: Pearce Solace SHRILL SUT oe Nein aot 7 lion work.” he said, “In the near fulure, our objective is lo reach the ideal scenario where the GIS i the corporate repository of all key underground and aboveground asset information, as well as of the geographic location of customers, customer water quality samples, etc. Sumac ia This concept, which is also followed in other « De cee eee aa Roun ert ay Cay eeeFEATURES go Excerpt from Slarweek, the Sunday magazine of The Philippine Star, July 22, 2012 The frst Philippine Popular Music Festival (PhiPOP) sonavtting competition from February to July 2012 Is a ilesione In Original Pilipino Music (OPM) history i | Cc In that time span, Flipino sonowaiters from all over the world were put in the limelight. They were olven the challenge to create the best sono they can, break musical boundaries, and enrich the depth and breadth of Filipino music. In the end, one songuniter took home: the title of fist PhiPOP champion, but the rich talent ‘ond enthusiasn that emerged from the competition showed the Filpinos’ innate musical. The Story of PhilPOP The Launch The mission of PhilPOP was led by renowned music maestro Mr. Ryan Cayabyab. “Filipinos are musically gifted. With PhilPOP, | want to shine the spotlight on our world-class composers and songwriters." The PhilPOP competition was launched by the PhilPOP Executive Committee on February 15, 2012 through a press conference at the Philippine International Convention Center (PIC) ‘As PhilPOP Organizaing Committee Chairman Mr, Ricky Vargas put it, "Songwriters have given so much insp- ration to our society; they have even sparked revolutions and change. This event we are launching today is in their honor to give them a platform to showcase their talents.” The Foundation The PhilPOP MusicFest Foundation, Inc. is a movement which empowers Flipino music. The Board of Trustees include Chairman Manny V. Pangilinan: President Ricky Vargas; Executive Director Ryan Cayabyab: Vice President Patrick Gregorio; Treasurer in Trust Randy Estrelladio from Maynilad; Ogie Alcasid, President of OPM: Noel Cabangon, Vice President of OPM: Butch Jimenez of PLDT: Doy Vea of Smart PLDT: Al Paniio of Meralco; and Roy Evalle of Fist Pacific Leadership Academy ‘The PhiPOP MusicFest Foundation Inc. is an advocate of Flipino music, a cultural treasure that embodies the identity of our people,” Mr Cayabyab explains. “We seek to enrich origi nal Filipino music and educate this and future generations on its uniqueness and importance. We seek to resoune) and preserve thejyanish- ing, pethaps forgatien, musical gems fem the rural areas © vies aussi zove a ee een eeeo The Finalists From March 1 to May 10, 2012, PhilPOP drew almost 3,000 entries from Filipinos all ‘over the world, far exceeding the Execu- five Committee's expectations of 1,000. After the grueling task of screening thou- sands of songs, the adjudicators tolled to select the top 14. These included four established veterans—Trina Belamide, Gary Granada, Soc Villanueva, and Mike Villegas; and 10 amateur songwriters— Thyro Alfaro, Kenny Faraon, James Leyte, Edwin Marollano, Krist Melecio, Keiko Necesario, Bryon Ricamara, Toto Sorioso, Karl Viluga, and Noah Zuniga. The Grand Finale By 7 p.m. on July 14, 2012, the Plenary Hall at the PICC was packed. The show was in full swing with amazing performances and dazdling in-house effects. With hosts Ogie Alcasid and Nikki Gil, as well as the star-studded Cast of interpreters and performers, the audience was engaged in the entire production. The interpreters performed the songs of their corresponding finalists. In between, Jose & Wally, Basil Valdez. Sharon Cuneta, Christian Bautista, Erik Santos, Regine Velasquez, Rachel Alejandro, Barbie Almalbis, Bituin Escalante, Frenchie Dy, Cris Villongeo, Gian Magdangal, Jan Nieto, Reymond Sajor, Bugoy Drilon, Bryson Andres, Gloc 9, Kitchie Nadal, Haji Alejandro, and the Ryan Cayabyab Singers graced the stage with added entertainment, Concluding the event was the long-awaited awarding ceremony. With his song "Bawat Hakbang," former Akafellas member Karl Villuga bagged the fitle of first PhilPOP grand champion, eaming the milion-peso cash prize. Toto Sorioso ("Tayo-Tayo Lang") and Soc Villanueva ["Kontrabida") placed 2nd with P500,000 and 3rd. with P250,000, respectively. All three winners were presented with beautifully crafted glass trophies designed by the multi-awarded sculptor Ramon Orlin, And finally, James Leyte was given the Smart People's Choice award ‘and P200,000 for his quirky reggae entry "Brown." Final Message For their support of the fist season of PhilPOP, the PhilPOP MusicFest Foundation, which was presented by Maynilad, Smart Meralco, PLDT, Resorts World Manila, and V5, thanked the valu- able sponsors Metro Pacific Investments Corp.,. NLEX. PICC, and Sun Cellular: as well as the Fitst Pacific Leadership Academy, KBP, Philex; media partners Inquirer, Ivory Records, Philippine Star, Radio High, and Radio Republic; and The Belo Medical Group and Via Mare. PhiIPOP is Maynilad's sincere contribution to Philippine society, implying that Flipino music is the language of the soul. The Foun- dation is certainly not resting on its laurels; itis already preparing for a nationwide tour teaching songwriting and music apprecia- fion to the youth. An OPM Summit is also in the pipeline. As the saying goes, "Mabuhay ang OPM! a [ 5), Pps Ale 2or2Healthy innovations ,.........0. aeCollecting wastewater through catchments By Ryen Orillo Wastewater protec households and establishments in the West Zone. In this colurmn, the Management Division shares what they do to ensure environmental it nd community he Aside from delivering potable water, Maynilad also provides sewerage and sanitation services in the West Zone. It operates and maintains sewage pumping plants and wastewater treatment facilities—24 hours a day, seven days a week—to ensure the efficient Collection, treatment and disposal of wastewater. At present, only households and establishments in Tondo, Sampaloc, South Manila, Malabon, Navotos, Caloocan, Projects 7 and 8 in Quezon City, and Magallanes Village in Makati City and Ayala Alabang Village in Muntinlupa can connect to Maynilad’s sewerage system. Unsewered areas, meanwhile, are served through the desiudaing of septic tanks using vacuum trucks. But how exactly do we collect wastewater? When it comes fo potable water, Maynilad manages distribution through Hydraulic Systems (HS). Dividing the entire service area into smaller HS allows us to better monitor water delivery and control Non-Revenue Water. In wastewater, we implement a concept called “catchment management.” We divide the West Zone into catchments and sub-catchments to properly manage, collect and treat wastewater, Unlike the HS where boundaries are established by the creation of pumps and meter reading units, catch- ment areas are dictated by topography, soll type and land use. It is where water naturally flows from higher to lower elevations. The lowest points of a catchment are typically rivers and creeks where all wastewater rains, making them the ideal site fer our Sewage Treatment Plants (STP). We treat each catchment as a single. independ- ent unit, depending on ifs size. An STP is con- structed for each catchment or sub-catchment, which is bounded by. major roads, municipal boundaries, Bodies of water, and major intrastruc- tures (@.g. LRT and MRT). The West Zone has 13 major catchments grouped into eight catchment management areas. Currently, We are facilitating the construction of SIPs for the San Juan River Basin, which directly discharges to the Pasig/ River. This area is a sub- catchment of Quezon City. Through catchment management; we can identify ‘and monitor pollution sources and determine critical areas with the highest organic and inorganic material contribution in an area. Combined Sewerage System The presence of our STPs in catchment areas ena- bles us to catch and treat millions of liters of waste- water generated by consumers, thus helping to greatly improve river quality where the catchment Illustration by Mark Ferdinand Pasion discharges. @) roves agen 212 joyniiad’s operations involves the proper management af wastewaterlorious Salazar and Edison Bao: Think out of the box Bo you have co-workers who deserve recognition? Submit fo Us their stories of excellence. Ripples wil publsh the best employee profiles that demonstrate remarkable work alfitude, leadership abilty and customer service skis, In November 2011, Maynilad decided to outsource the design of its Pasay Sewerage System Project, it being the fist of its kind because of the pipe system's length (12 kilometers). Glorious Salazar and Edison Bao, both from the Engineering Unit of the Program Management Group (PMG), immediately took to their task of briefing the consultant and faciitating the eeded reference design for the project. The consultant's rimary taskis to come up with « pipe route that is cost efficient ‘and causes the least possible inconvenience within its target area. As with any other proposal, Glorious and Edison both have the responsibilty to review designs submitted by a consultant for Maynilad projects. The consultant proposed two options: One required extensive diggings across the Magallanes Interchange and the laying of a 900mm-diameter pipe along EDSA. The other entailed diverting wastewater collected from the Bangkal area to the nearby San Lorenzo and Tripa de Galina creeks, Both proposals were ruled out. The first one would have caused huge inconvenience. "if we're going to exca- vate one of the busiest roads in Metro Manila, we'd be causing heavy traffic,” Edison pointed out Meanwhile, the second proposal presented environmental concems. Edison explained, “By diverting wastewa- ter fo these two creeks, we are literally going to make these creeks part of our sewer ines—an open sewer line to be exact.” Months passed before a design on the Pasay Sewerage System Project was finalized. This one. ironically, came from the very ideas of Glorious and Edison through the guidance of Engineering head, Julius iglesia, While the consultant proposed a roundabout path so the sewerline won't have to cross the MRT line along EDSA, Glorious and Edison decided it's possible to cut straight across the MRT line as long as trenchless technology is used (.e. digging « horizontal tunnel under the ground where a pipeline can be inserted through two excavation pits). This methed of pipe-laying is not new to PMG so. compromising the integrity of the MRT's foundation would be a remote possibility. By going under the MRT rather than around the Magallanes Interchange, fraffic congestion would be avoided and the required pipe length would be shortened by around 1.2 kilometers, The two PMG personnel probed deeper into the consultant's earlier proposals ond decided that a different but equally strong pipe material can be subslituted for the recommended one—all in a bid fo further reduce cost without sacrificing quality, efficiency and effectiveness. The result of the two personnel’s hard scrutiny and dedication to work® A whopping P10 million savings for May- nila, “It feels great to be recognized for our contributions to the project,” Glorious said. "But we are just really doing our jobs." Edison said that hair mofivation for finding the best pipe-laying scheme stemmed largely from the trust given to thern'by. heir boss. "| didn't want to waste his trust, especially since this project is part of Mayniiad’s biagest Sewage Treatment Plant. Also. we Glways keep in mind that we should strive for excellence in everything we do." © Aopen piai: 212 :As part of its efforis to help reforest the Ibo Dam Watershed and prevent calamities such as land erosion and flooding, Maynilad recently started its “Plant for Life" tree-planting activities for 2012. From 2007 to 2011, Maynilad has planted 164,000 saplings in the Ipo Dam Watershed with another 50,000 saplings pledged for 2012. For July alone, May- nilad planted 6,600 saplinas in celebration of the 6éth birthday of its chairman, Manvel V. Pangilinan. “Planting trees on denuded lands is one of the best actions we can take against flooding. We not only help to protect the watershed area that supplies our raw water nee solution fo the cycle of flooding during the rainy season.” said Mayrilad President and CEO Ricky P. Vargas. we also provide a long-term Joining Moynilad in the concerted effort to reforest the watershed is the Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation, Philippine Waterworks Association, Water EN ES) —— 50,000 trees ? to be planted at Ilpo watershed by2012 emcee ee ae Environment Association of the Philippines, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and representatives from PLDT-Smort, Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System, Municipality of Norzagaray, National C on Indigenous Peoples, Philippine Association of Water Districts, and the Philippines Water Partnership. mmission GA highlights financial targets; new VMV To keep employees up to speed with the current state of the business, over 700 Maynilad employees trooped to the Henry Lee Irwin Theatre of Ateneo de Manila University for the 2012 General Assembly (GA). Highlights of the GA include the presentations of Chiet Finance Officer Randolph Estrellado and Business Area Operations head Christopher Lichauco on the company's standing in terms of its financial and opera- tions performance. Esirellado reveaied that in the first half of 2012, Maynilad Was able to increase billed volume by 9% and core net income by 15%. Although these are noteworthy accom- plshments, he said that more effort i stil needed for the company to reach its yeor-end targets. Maynilad President and Chief Executive Officer Victorico P. Vargas issued a challenge to employees as they forge ahead for the remainder of the year, "We will test if we must but one thing is for sure—we will never Quitl The challenges are not insurmountable but will take some extended efforts on our end.” he said. \WWM's Michael Jay Fojardo and Mayrilod officals lead employees: in singing “Let's Go Beyond Basic” ater the VM laun: The second half of the GA featured the official launch ‘of Maynilad''s new Mission, Vision and Values statements through a series of audio-visual presentations, The program ended on a high note with Wastewater Management's Michael Jay Fojardo and Water Production's Mare Adrian dela Rosa leading the crowd, in singing the “Let's Go Beyond Basic” jingle. @® “ples August 2012sila Maynilad transformation wins int'l award Maynilad recently won in the Project Innovation Awards (Asia Pacific) of the Intemational Water Association (IWA) for its Water Service Transformation program. The Project Innovation Awards is a prestigious intemational competition which recognizes and celebrates innova- tion ond excellence in water engineering projects around the world. This year Maynilad received the Honour Award under the Operations/Management Category because of its quick and dramatic company turnaround. 4 In just five years, Moynilad was able to transform its business, operations, services and organization, to become a reliable anc dynamic water concessionaire of the Philippine government. Mayrilad’s Water Service Transformation program was launched upon its re-ptivatization in 2007, to improve and expand water services in its concession crea. Under this program, Maynilad developed and imple- mented a holistic innovation strategy that involved the franstormation of its water system. people, business, customer services and public image. This strateay ena- bled the company to accelerate the implementation of its five-year US$700-milion capital expenditure TOW Proj ds Cere, 0's at Deere ei rete aa aa eo at Ineo ee aa eis tate eect ae Pe ene me Mee ie ces Hee er areacoc aa ues femctns ir ara program, resulting in enhanced service levels, lower water losses and improved financial standing. “We are both humbled and grateful for this recognition from the IWA. This also inspires Us to continue what we started, and to aspire for even greater things for our company, customers and other stakeholders,” said Maynilad President and CEO Ricky P. Vargas. "With hard work and a holistic innovation strategy, simultaneous organizational and water service transformation is possi- ble” Based in the United Kingdom, the IWA is @ glébal network of over 10,000 water professionals who collabo- rate to promote the development.and implementation of innovative ond effective approaches to water management. Maynilad employees enjoyed free medical screening activities and got information on the latest approaches fo disease prevention during the éth Maynilad Health and Weliness Day held last August 16. A record 88 organizations particioated in the event, showcasing their products and offering screening tests ‘and Wellness activities to some 300 attendees. Ophthal- mologist Dr. Adel Samson of The Medical City also gave Participants a lecture on common eye diseases and proper eye care. This year's event also marked the launch of the Mayni- lad Pharmacy and Dental Awards, which aims to encourage more employees fo take charge of their and their dependents'—health needs by making the most of the company's pharmaceutical and dental services. The Awards recognized ten employees for each of the following categories: Compliance (employees who regularly purchase ond take thel; prescribed medica- tions), Wellness (employees who purchase multivitamins ‘ond supplements for himself of his dependents) and Personal Care (employees iho yegularly purchase personal core products fer himself or his dependents}. Meanwhile, five employees were chosen for the Oral Care Category (employees whose teeth were com- pletely rehabilitated following an oral prophylaxis and’ treatment) Aside from the recognition, all winners received aift packs from some of the events" sponsors, “Every year, more and more employees and healt ‘organizations participate in Maynilad's Health and Well ness Day. It makes us glad that through programs such @s this, we not only make more people aware of the need to take care of themselves, we also provide them with the means to do so," scid Health Management head, Dr. Ricardo Jose Miranda — Karmina AlejandroSouth district customers climb 111% Customers of Maynilad in Parafiaque, Las Pifias, Muntinlupa and Cavite rose by 111% from only 828,096 at the énd of 2006 to 1.75 million by the first half of 2012 The significant increase was due to the aggressive investments made by Maynilad in the last five years. To date, the company has spent over P34 billion to lay. 2.400 kilometres of new pipes, build additional pump- ing stations and water reservoirs, and develop a new water source, among others, in its south district, Of its curent customers from Paranaque, Las Pihas, Muntinlupa and Cavite, 98% now have 24-hour water supply—a dramatic increase from the 36% that received the same service levelin 2006. Meanwhile, those who receive their water supply ata minimum pressure of 7 pounds per square inch (psi) have incteased to 94% from only 43% during the same period. Prior to. Maynilad's entry into these areas, residents were dependent on unsafe! and} experisive water deliveries from private deep well operators. “We implemented an agaressive capital expenditure program in the south because we knew how badly they needed clean, affordable water. And though we have succeeded in improving and expanding our services in these areas, we will continue to be aggres- sive in. our service-improvement projects to better respond to the needs of our customers there,” said) Maynilad Presidentland GEO Rieky.P. Vargas. For this Year alone) Mayrilad allotted P3,08)Bilion for copital expenditure projects in the South. This includes the reinforcement of pipeiines.clong Daang Hari High= way from Muntinlupa and Las Piftas, replacement of old pipes in several creas of Paraficque, and instalia- tion of new pipelines in Cavite. © onies august 2012-Gontracts Management Trisnot enough that their depariment ‘awards project contracts to winning bidders. Program — Management Division's Contracts Management ensures that each project is awarded “at the right price, from the fight source, in the right quantity, and ct the right time.” “Our group acts as the central support unit responsible for the procurement of works and consul- tancy services for Maynilad's opera- tional requirements and business enhancements," Contracts Manage- ment head Joel Dela Cruz said. "Gen- erally, we are responsible for the successful strategy, development and execution of assigned procure- ment programs 0 maximize efficiency and cost savings, and redueé liability exposure.” To be able to pursue this, the depart ment consistently seeks opportunities through research and development to enhance existing procurement policies and procedures within the organization Contracts Management is composed of 1] employees, mostly engineers. it hais two units: Contracts, Bidding, and ‘Award, which administers the “sacred” process of bidding; and Contractor Management, which makes sure that Maynilad only engages the best vendors in every project Contractors have to pass a very meticulous accreditation process because Maynilad will only accreait the most reputable in the indusiry of constuction. This accreditation process is renewed every year to maintain the credibility of the company's databank, os well as to validate the eligibilty of these con- tractors. All projects—from office renovations, pipe, exponsions, supply improve- ment, construction of pumping stations and reservoirs, to complex Infrostructures such os design-and- build of sewage treatment plants and sewage conveyance systems—must {go through the proper procurement procedure, either by negotiation or competitive bidding. Everything has to be done to the letter—no short cuts, Given these strict standards, it is no easy task for Contracts Management to meet the tight deadlines of its inter- nal customers. “It is challenge for our department to reduce the cycle time of vendor selection. bidding and evaluation, contract formation and negotiation without sacrificing the quality and economic benefits of implementing the projects," Dela Cruz sai. One initiative that may address this is their acquisition of an electronic system that will track contract progress and link it with daily opera tions. “It is important that our depart ment adopts the best practice to ensure competitiveness, prudence and transparency," he said. Giving their best service for intemal customers is important for Contracts Management. “For every project awarded, public service is provided. The real fulfilment in our jobs comes from providing Maynilad with the best professional service that eventually goes toward customer delight over quality projects.”