President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday night berated the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System ( MWSS) for not being prepared for the “seasonal” El Nino phenomenon.

“Every season there is El Nino. Why did you not prepare for it?” Duterte said in his speech in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon.

“Even if there is no El Nino yet there is no water already. Where did the water in this world go?” he added.

Duterte added that the MWSS only acted swiftly on the problem after he threatened to visit them.

“If I did not say that I will visit them, there will still be no water,” he said.

Duterte mentioned the MWSS while discussing corruption in the government and his plan to remove more officials for alleged corrupt activities.

“Just follow me in the coming days, I will get rid of corruption in the government,” he said.

Last month, in a meeting with MWSS and the two water concessionaires, Duterte told the officials to "shape up or ship out" following water supply interruptions in some parts of the metropolis and nearby areas.

He ordered them to submit a report on the water shortage before April 7 after which he will decide whether heads will roll or whether contracts of the concessionaires will be terminated.

Residents in Metro Manila's East Zone whose water comes from Manila Water experienced severe water shortage for nearly two weeks in mid-March. Ella Dionisio/DMS