West Zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services, Inc. (Maynilad) has strengthened its water supply and risk mitigation measures to better respond to the possible effects of El Niño and lower raw water allocation, even as Angat Dam levels continue to decline.

Water supply in Maynilad’s service area remains stable, and the company continues to work with the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System, National Water Resources Board, PAGASA, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, National Irrigation Administration, and other concerned agencies on a coordinated response to evolving water supply conditions.

“Maynilad recognizes the concern over the continued decline in Angat Dam levels and the possible effects of El Niño. We have been preparing for these circumstances since previous El Niño episodes, particularly in 2019, when Angat Dam dropped to its historical low level,” said Maynilad Chief Operating Officer Christopher Jaime T. Lichauco.

“The Maynilad system today has more buffers than it had in 2019. Angat Dam remains our main raw water source, but we now have more supplemental sources, lower water losses, expanded storage, and improved network management capabilities to help manage tighter raw water conditions,” Lichauco added.

A key part of this improved readiness is Maynilad’s Laguna Lake treatment capacity, which now totals 450 million liters per day (MLD) through Putatan Water Treatment Plants 1 and 2 and the Poblacion Water Treatment Plant, each with a design capacity of 150 MLD.

Maynilad has also increased its total treatment capacity by 173 MLD since 2019, from 2,700 MLD to 2,873 MLD, supported by additional treatment facilities and supply augmentation projects. These include modular treatment plants, NEW WATER facilities, and deep wells, where appropriate.

Among these is Maynilad’s NEW WATER program, which produces potable water from treated effluent that undergoes advanced treatment processes such as ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, and disinfection. Maynilad currently has NEW WATER facilities in Parañaque and Valenzuela, and is preparing to commission its 12-million-liter-per-day Pasay NEW WATER facility in 2026 to further expand potable recycled water availability in its service area.

Maynilad has likewise added 88 million liters in reservoir capacity since 2019, from 692 ML to 780 ML. With the expected completion of the 40-ML Parada Reservoir and the 200-ML La Mesa raw water reservoir within 2026, total reservoir capacity is projected to reach 1,020 ML.

Another key component of Maynilad’s El Niño readiness is its intensified Non-Revenue Water reduction program. As of the first quarter of 2026, Maynilad brought its average NRW down to 32.0%, while its period-end NRW stood at 30.7%. In 2025 alone, Maynilad recovered 256 million liters per day of water through NRW reduction—roughly equivalent to the output of more than one and a half major water treatment plants.

Maynilad said these gains were achieved through leak detection and repair, pipe replacement, meter management, pressure regulation, and network efficiency measures, which help reduce water losses and improve the distribution of available supply across its service area.

The company also continues to implement pressure management and network optimization measures to help move available supply more efficiently across its network. In the event of localized low pressure or temporary service interruption, Maynilad has standby support measures such as mobile water tankers and stationary water tanks for deployment to affected communities.

“Maynilad’s investments in additional sources, NRW reduction, storage, treatment upgrades, and network management give us more tools to reduce the risk and extent of service disruption under tighter raw water conditions. While the severity and duration of El Niño will ultimately depend on weather patterns and raw water availability, we will continue to implement appropriate measures to protect service reliability as conditions evolve,” Lichauco said.

Maynilad also encouraged customers to use water responsibly, avoid wastage, fix household leaks, and report street leaks or illegal connections.

Maynilad operates the largest water concession by population served within a single concession area in the Philippines. It is a concessionaire of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) for the West Zone of the Greater Manila Area, which is composed of the cities of Manila (certain portions), Quezon City (certain portions), Makati (west of South Super Highway), Caloocan, Pasay, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Valenzuela, Navotas and Malabon, all in Metro Manila; the cities of Cavite, Bacoor and Imus, and the municipalities of Kawit, Noveleta and Rosario, all in Cavite Province.

There is no doubt that education and obtaining a college degree changed the destinies of many individuals—empowering them to live in comfort and prosperity.

For SM Foundation scholar graduates, this meant helping another sibling pursue a college education and realizing the vision of SM Founder Mr. Henry Sy Sr. to eradicate intergenerational poverty through education.  “Education is the greatest equalizer,” Mr. Sy Sr. was once quoted.

The SM scholarship program is the flagship program of SM Foundation. Like other SM Foundation program beneficiaries, the scholars are instilled with the life principles of its founder.

Two of these principles are aligned with giving back: “Make it your mission to provide employment” and “Social responsibility is important.”

Since the establishment of college scholarship program about 4, 849 have graduated across the country. Most of them have sought employment while others opted to be entrepreneurs and are now providing livelihood opportunities to others.

A few years after the college scholarship program opened to provide financially challenged but deserving high school graduates from public schools an opportunity to earn college degrees, SM Foundation initiated its Technical-Vocational Scholarship Program.

The program complements government efforts to provide opportunities to out-of-school youth and high school graduates who do not want to pursue four-year college degrees. The courses offered in the program consist of curricula to train the beneficiaries with specific skills and enhance these so they can be employable in the hospitality and manufacturing-related services.

In pursuing its tech-voc scholarship program, SM Foundation collaborated with schools offering technical-vocation courses such as Don Bosco, Punlaan School, Dualtech Training Center, and Meralco Foundation, among others.

With the advancement of technology that is rapidly shaping the employment landscape, SM Foundation is re-examining the educational goals under its scholarship programs. It recognizes that the education or training to be provided must meet the requirements available for employment. It is reshaping its programs to prioritize flexibility, employability, and industry demand.

According to Anne Racoma, SMFI external programs manager for the SM Foundation Scholarship Program, not everyone is ready or equipped or interested even in a college degree.  “Some students, they’re just trying to figure out what they want in life, what they need in life,” she added.

A “skills-to-work” model will be introduced by SM Foundation in its technical-vocational program where the primary consideration is the labor demand.

SMFI manager for partnerships Joy Guevara said the Foundation will work with the industry to identify the manpower skills on demand or needed. Then it will partner with schools to develop the content or a training.  “Then we look for the scholars, she added.”

“It’s like the technical vocation [education], the difference there is this is really targeted towards students or aspiring students who want immediate jobs or who need immediate jobs,” Racoma stated. This involves short-term certifications and micro-credentials that focus on the skills to do the job.

To date, the tech-voc scholarship program has produced 5,090 graduates.

After college graduation, companies are swamped with applicants wanting to join the workforce among them SM scholar graduates.

For those who completed degrees requiring licenses from the Professional Regulation Commission, they aspire to hurdle the licensure examinations and devote time to review for such. After all, a license is something that is advantageous and gives them an edge over other applicants in their chosen profession.

In the recent Certified Public Accountants Licensure Examinations held last May, three SM scholar graduates ranked among the top-notchers: Angle Jean Bagacay (6^th), Steven Brielle David (8^th), and Fermina Kassandra Dela Cruz (12^th).

For the three new CPAs, the lessons they learned as SM scholars helped in their preparation and eventual passing of the board examinations.

Angle Jean G. Bagacay who hails from Tampakan, South Cotabato graduated in 2025 from the Mindanao State University-General Santos City. She completed Bachelor of Science in Accountancy.

Bagacay shared her stint as an SM scholar inspired her to dream bigger. “With SMFI believing in my potential and investing in my future, I have learned to be more confident in my abilities because I became part of a community that empowers financially challenged yet deserving students to achieve their dreams,” she said. “I carried this lesson with me throughout my CPALE journey as a form of self-affirmation whenever I felt anxious. Of course, there was always pressure to perform well, but over time, I learned to see the brighter side of it — that pressure is a privilege because it comes to those who earned it,” she added.

Passing the CPALE and being among the top passers was surreal for Bagacay. “I remember refreshing the site several times just to make sure it was real and not some kind of system error”. It was a gratifying and humbling experience for her as well as relief to know that all the hard work, sleepless nights and her parents’ sacrifices paid off.

It also led to offers from different auditing firms nationwide, including firms she had dreamed of joining since her college days. “I was honestly surprised to realize that I now have many paths to choose from depending on the career I want to pursue.” Beyond the career opportunities, “this achievement also gave my family a stronger sense of security and hope for the future.”

Bagacay intends to join an audit firm and explore opportunities to pursue further studies or contribute to the academe.

Another board passer is Steven Brielle S. David from Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon. He obtained his BS Accountancy degree magna cum laude from Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan in 2025.

“My SM scholarship inspired me to work harder, persevere through challenges, and strive for excellence in everything I do,” he said.  He admitted he encountered challenges pursuing his college degree and formal review for CPALE. But he wasn’t disheartened and considered these setbacks as stepping stones to achieve his dreams. “I am blessed to have received support from SM Foundation, and I always use that support to rekindle my passion and keep myself focused on my goals,” he added.

On passing the boards and being one of the top-notchers, he shared: “I burst into tears and was comforted by the embrace of my parents and siblings. Those tears signified the

culmination of my academic journey and the realization that I could finally move on to a

new chapter of my life—as a professional. I am very grateful to God for hearing my prayers and being with me throughout college, during my review phase, and during the

actual board examination. It feels surreal because I used to daydream that maybe,

someday, I could also become a topnotcher, and now I am living that dream. I cannot

stress enough my gratitude to my parents, family and friends, professors and lecturers,

and the SM Foundation for helping me realize this dream. I am especially thankful to the

Foundation for seeing my potential and trusting in my capabilities.”

Aside from the recognition of being a board passer, David sees this achievement as an inspiration to uphold excellence and integrity as he begins his journey as a professional. He hopes to

take on leadership roles and mentor aspiring accountants as one of the means of paying it forward. “I want to build a career that is founded on excellence, integrity and service while creating a good impact on the people and communities,” he said further.

Meanwhile, for Fermina Kassandra D. Dela Cruz of Malolos City the scholarship instilled in me a strong sense of responsibility, discipline, perseverance, and gratitude. Graduating summa cum laude in 2025 from the National University – Baliwag with a degree in Accountancy, she said SM scholars are always reminded to do things for social good and to make the most of every opportunity entrusted to them.

“I saw preparing for and eventually passing the board exam as my way of giving back and honoring the people and institutions that carried me through my journey, and that includes SM Foundation. The review process was demanding and filled with challenges, but the resilience and determination I cultivated as an SM Scholar enabled me to remain consistent, adapt to setbacks, and stay focused on my goals.”

While she was among the top performing examinees, she said the review season was not easy and there were moments of exhaustion, self-doubt and unexpected challenges. “But because I knew that my success was never just for myself, I kept going. The values I learned as an SM Scholar reminded me to remain committed, persevere through difficulties, and maximize the opportunities that came my way. In many ways, passing the boards was not only a personal achievement but also my expression of gratitude to everyone who believed in me.”

She was overwhelmed and speechless when she learned she passed the board exams. “I couldn’t fully process what I was feeling at that moment. Unlike the reaction videos I often see online, I didn’t have an emotional breakdown or a crying moment. I think it was because I was experiencing so many emotions all at once—overwhelm, gratitude, immense happiness, and the realization that every sacrifice and hardship had been worth it. I also feel like I had already cried all my tears during the review season.”

According to Dela Cruz, more than anything, it as the result of countless prayers, sacrifices, and the unwavering support of the people who believed in her. It was a humbling reminder that no achievement is ever accomplished alone.

Like Bagacay and David, being a board passer has opened many opportunities for Dela Cruz. “I see it as motivation to continuously strive for excellence, uphold integrity, and remain committed to lifelong learning. I also hope to use this achievement as a platform to inspire and mentor aspiring accountants, showing them that success is attainable through hard work, determination, and faith.”

We all love finding the perfect gift, but shopping can often become a chore. Endless scrolling, guessing, and jumping between tabs can feel like hard work.

Google’s latest advancements in AI can help! The company is introducing a major AI shopping update in the Gemini app to help with all your shopping-related needs — whether that’s finding the best birthday gift, comparing running shoes and brainstorming the ‘aesthetic’ fitcheck, or discovering the right piece of luggage for your next trip!

Describe what you’re looking for just as you’d say it to a friend, and get a thorough response — with accurate shopping data you can trust.

Simplify your shopping with Gemini

You can also now use shopping features right in the Gemini app, helping you go from brainstorming to browsing right within your chat. You can find shoppable product listings, comparison tables, prices from across the web, and places to buy.

When you ask Gemini a shopping question, you’ll get an intelligently organized response that brings together rich visuals and all the details you need (like price, reviews, and inventory information), helping you quickly and confidently decide what to buy. Responses are tailored to your specific question and formatted for your needs.

For example, if you’re looking for visual inspiration, like “birthday gift ideas for my dad who is into the NBA. My budget is P2000,” you’ll see shoppable images in a helpful carousel. Or, if you’re deciding between a few options — like the right bag or piece of luggage for a weekend away — you’ll see a comparison table with a side-by-side view of considerations specific to that product (such as case dimensions and weight) to help you quickly understand the nuances.

And because these new shopping features in Gemini are powered by the Shopping Graph (which includes more than 60 billion product listings, two billion of which are updated every hour), you can see fresh information and unmatched selection you can trust.

By bringing Gemini models and Google’s Shopping Graph together, you can shop with confidence, save time and money, and have fun along the way! Try it now!