BY CRIS DIAZ
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY: A member of the city’s fact-finding team on Thursday allayed fears that the existing bulk water supplier of the Cagayan de Oro Water District (COWD) would be replaced.
Ronnie Waniwan, Vice Chair of the fact-finding team, issued the statement in response to insinuations of former Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno that the purpose of the probe is to replace the existing bulk water supplier.
The contract between the COWD and Metro Pacific Water (MetroPac) was perfected during the incumbency of Moreno who then promised that the agreement will resolve water problem distribution in Cagayan de Oro City.
However, seven years after the signing of the Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) on Aug. 14, 2017, the problem of water distribution in Cagayan de Oro City worsen following the threat of the bulk water supplier to cut water supply by end of March 2024.
In response, incumbent City Mayor Rolando Uy signed Executive Order No. 109-2024 dated March 6, 2024 creating the Cagayan de Oro Special Task Force for Water Supply and Distribution to address the issue.
Waniwan said that the creation of the fact-finding team was an offshoot of the Executive’s Order primarily to review the JVA in order to mitigate the situation.
“The four-man fact-finding committee headed by City Councilor James Judith wants to make sure that the more than 85,000 water consumers in the city are not deprived of water supply, “ Waniwan told Mindanao Daily News.
The Cagayan De Oro Bulk Water Inc. (COBI), the main water supplier, threatens to shut off water pipes by the end of March 2024 unless COWD settles its alleged water bill amounting to P 426 million starting 2021 until 2024.
COWD officials denied that it owed COBID P 426 million because such obligation was never reflected in the water district’s book of accounts.
