Manila Water regards its employees as the most important resource and partner in creating lasting value. The company ensures to keep the welfare of all its workforce as a primary concern. Manila Water’s holistic approach to talent management–from the point of recruitment to growth, incentives, retention and engagement–helps ensure the company brings in, develops, and engages talent with the requisite skills to help the company achieve its goal of building a sustainable future.

With the recent water crisis, Manila Water responded by strengthening the skills of its employees through capacity development of core, leadership and technical competencies. This strategy enables the company to adapt with the changes and “new normal” of its business environment.

The company also believes that effective leadership is critical for people to excellently perform their roles with integrity and competence. This is in alignment with the aspiration of the organization to sustain the trust of stakeholders.

 

WORKFORCE

 

 

TALENT DEVELOPMENT 

Manila Water provides talents access to various learning and development opportunities composed of in-house and external trainings as well as accelerated development programs under the Manila Water University. In 2019, there were a total of 42,477 training hours for 2,172 employees. 

Manila Water University, the corporate learning institution of the company, provides a wide range of training and development courses facilitated by an instructor or on-line. The programs under the university are component-based, aimed at developing talents by enhancing their leadership, technical and functional skills. These pillars will help in preparing leaders and technical specialists to assume critical roles in the organization. In addition to learning in a classroom setting, close mentoring and stretched assignments allow employees to hone their skills. 

Manila Water continues to implement its Cadetship Training, with its 26th batch graduating in 2019. This six-month program provides eligible fresh graduates with opportunities for specialized training and work immersion experience. Hence, expanding business and technological competencies of talents. 

The General Manager and Project Management Schools also continue to ensure a deep bench of competent talents for future growth. Identified subject matter experts in the organization also work on developing comprehensive modules for the Technical Operations School (Manila Water Institute of Technology) to further capacitate employees performing technical roles. 

 

TYPES OF TRAINING

 

OVERALL

 

BY GENDER

 

TRAINING HOURS

 

EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT 

Manila Water fosters work-life integration for its employees to maintain a healthy working environment. The company sees to it that the workforce understands and respects people’s experiences not only as employees but also as homemakers, parents, and leaders of their respective communities. 

In response to challenging city conditions and to maximize available technology solutions, the company provides flexible time and work arrangements for its employees to encourage productivity and collaboration while meeting the changing talent profile. Five work hubs with adjunct support facilities can be accessed across the East Zone in the company’s various installations in Metro Manila. These hubs also works as contingency sites to ensure quick business recovery in the case of natural disasters and emergencies. 

Manila Water regularly conducts surveys and assessments in order to measure and validate the engagement of employees. This allows the company to address and respond to results by identifying and implementing initiatives to make employees more enabled, productive and energized, while enhancing ‘malasakit’. An enterprise-wide Employee Engagement Survey was conducted in mid-2019, offering talents an opportunity to express themselves and their opinions on a number of material topics such as leadership, values, work relationships, performance appraisal and employee benefits.

Opportunities are provided for employees to promote teamwork and camaraderie, such as volunteer-driven calamity response, sports and fitness programs as well as corporate events. Corporate award mechanisms are in place for employees who exemplify excellent performance and work ethic. These recognition programs are the Huwarang Manggagawa Awards for rank and file employees, the President’s Pride due to Performance Awards for middle managers, and the Chairman’s Circle Awards for the senior managers.

In order to recognize the long service of employees to the organization, retirement planning services are provided to promote smooth transition to new beginnings. 

Manila Water supports the development of its employees not only professionally but also as individuals such that initiatives on total wellness and mental health are accessible for a more holistic approach. 

FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING 

Manila Water values the rights of its employees to participate in the formulation and review of policies concerning the rights and welfare of the workforce. The company supports the employees’ freedom of association and complies with the existing laws in this regard. In 2019, 12.75 percent of the total employees of the Manila Concession were covered by the latest collective bargaining agreement signed in 23 November 2018. 

SAFEGUARDING OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY 

Manila Water commits to strengthening a culture of health and safety across its workforce, supply chain, and the general public, and continually assesses, implements, and improves business processes by adapting best practices in safety communications, procedures and compliance. 

Manila Water is certified according to OHSAS 18000: 2007 Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems which is also integrated with other management systems. Policies and procedures for compliance on occupational health standards of the country are well established. 

In response to the recently approved implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act 11058 covering Occupational Safety and Health, the safety programs of the company were re-scoped to include and/or strengthen the following: 

The company has set up safety committees at the group, department, and facility levels which are well represented from rank and file to managerial employees. These committees monitor safety performance on a regular basis and implement continuing improvement initiatives to address gaps and overlaps in processes. 

The company implements measures such as incident investigations among employees and contractors. Reporting and escalation procedures are in place, and consolidated reports are submitted to the Department of Labor and Employment. 

In addition, activities such as emergency drills, basic life support, and first aid trainings, are conducted in collaboration with the Red Cross to enhance employees’ emergency preparedness and response. Fire Safety Standard audits are also done once a year in coordination with the Bureau of Fire Protection. 

By the end of 2019, the Manila Concession attained 178,976 safe man-hours after a reset in November. Prior to the reset, there was an accummulated 18,895,080 safe man-hours. Despite this, the company continues to ensure that its employees always display safe behaviors and practices at work.

 

CUMULATIVE SAFE MAN-HOURS

As of December 31, 2019