THE Cagayan de Oro Water District (COWD) has decided to offer easements to delinquencies that have totaled P342,366,732.
In an interview January 14, COWD interim general manager Fermin Jarales presented its amnesty program wherein penalties are waived and delinquent consumers have the chance to settle their accounts on a staggard but periodic basis.
The erring consumers consisted of 33,202 residential accounts, 4,736 commercial accounts and 158 government accounts.
Jarales blamed the past management of COWD for failing to collect the dues owed to it.
“This is a huge amount of money. Had we collected this religiously, this would be a big help in funding our day to day operations such as reducing our non-revenue water efforts,” Jarales said.
According to the amnesty plan, consumers which have an outstanding balance of P50,001 or above are allowed as much as four years to settle their obligations.
“Dili ta mokaso. Ang ato lang tuyo nga makolekta lang nato ang unsay due sa atoa,” Jarales said.
But he added that COWD will disconnect the supply to consumers who will refuse to heed their demands so they will be forced to pay upon reconnection.
Applying for the amnesty scheme is up to December 31 only.
